The King's Court
by ShadowBR2
Summary: With his death, Lelouch pondered what fate awaited in the afterlife. At first glance, punishment was an certainty, a thought shared by many that lived in his reign. Yet, when him and those who were part of his life are summoned to witness his judgment, what they find is the truth of the past being unveiled in its fullest, if not impossible, details… (A Watch-it Fanfiction).
1. Opening Act - The Summoning

**The King's Court**

A Code Geass Fanfiction

Gimmick Niche: Characters Watching their own Show / Pseudo-Novelization of Code Geass Anime Show and Spin-offs.

* * *

_Opening Act - The Summoning_

Time has moved on for liberated world of the living, It's march following it's intended course as wished from humanity since eons ago from existence after being freed by the hands of one mortal king, a King that now had laid down his life freely, though few would really know it. Truly, the death of the so disdained Demon Emperor in the streets of Japan may have happened in course of few tense seconds in the happenstance, yet even then the memories of that vivid moment still shook the very foundations of those who witnessed it with shivers on the spine, shedding all manner of emotions for those that do remember it.

Surprise; confusion; shock; epiphany; relief and cheer; all crushing the few who were under despair and grief… Many feelings soared forth when the golden blade of the world-renowned hero Zero cast the Demon from his throne, slaying him on spot through the heart.

No one had expected it. No one had believed it. But it happened so, in the eyes of the whole world on camera...

They say it was divine punishment, a gift for the desperate citizens of the Britannian hegemony seeking retribution, hoping for salvation in a world they saw it dominated by fear. Surely, there was nothing else to expect when someone so diabolical rose into such power. In fact, the incident itself just became naught but self-explanatory, for God himself has seen fit to give humanity a day to be celebrated in the coming years of the new age.

"..._Hail the hero of the world! Hail the peace we have sought!_" The crowds cheered.

This is what the masses believed. This is how the many would take it for granted. An evil has been vanquished and that's all that matters. No one would question or even ponder the strands behind such execution, for the mystery in-between was to be forgotten. Indeed, no one would even care how it happened, or why did it happen...

And that's exactly how he wanted it to be...

...

...

Or at least, most of it… After all, he, the Demon Emperor, was dead. That's all there is to it.

"(_Hmph… But then, what comes next I wonder?_)"

When it comes to dying, Lelouch believed himself to be an professional, that is, if death is as hollow and cold as it feels now, shrouded by tension and paranoia in one's being. Point taken, the last time he considered himself to be dead it was out of a symbolic meaning, one born out of the threat of his father looming over him with the constant preoccupation of Nunnally's safety in life, to the point he could not think or live for anything else beside survival. Yes... Back then, he was a dead man walking; breathing but not living, thinking but not dreaming. It was a state where that was no self-worth, no self fulfilment, something that one might as well consider it an state of death itself all things concerned.

Yet now, facing the reality of it here, Lelouch wasn't so sure of this concept anymore. What is making him so tense here? He had long expected the worst outcome to clutch him in a real death. Quite, with just his atrocities alone, punishment must be seriously grand, something supposedly beyond the notions of physical and mental imagination of torture. Is he going to join his parents? Is he going to vanish from existence like them? Or is it something else? Something worse? The implications of it ran wild in the former Emperor's mind as darkness long overcame his still thinking conscience in the void of his surroundings.

On his twisted thoughts, with the sensation of his dead body long forgotten, Lelouch began to drift back on the possible outcomes of the Zero Requiem once more; namely, the ways it could fall. While it's safe to say that he was confident of its success at life, there is only so much one man can plan ahead in the future, even with a Empire or the World under his boots. On short term, the initial shock among the populace should be enough for the world to unite and recover in peace but, once that passes… Well, it is known that it only takes the will of a single man to set flames to all that is constructed. He himself being a now dead is a proof of that.

And if it comes to that, there was nothing he could do about it should it happen. After all, Schneizel still lives, controlled or not. If he ever gets free of his shackles…

"..."

Maybe this is what is making him paranoid. The fear of his greatest and latest miracle going wrong... Should Suzaku fail now on his demise, everything they waged for will be for naught.

"..."

Wait, could it be? Could it be that his punishment is-

"_-**They say a man never truly knows himself…** **Until his freedom is taken away…**_"

"!?"

Interrupted by a voice in the middle of the dark, Lelouch was startled into shock.

Ever since "waking up" from death, he couldn't see, hear, or even perceive anything in any meaningful sense in this floating existence out of his thoughts. Only darkness, a impenetrable void, seemed surround him, shrouding everything so deeply that even his body was vacant and invisible on it, as if it was part of some empty painted scenery of nothingness. As far as he knew, this "world", if one could call it that, was silent and cold, a welcoming scene given his deeds, perhaps a form of purgatory for reflection before the worst sentence comes.

Yet despite that, the very notion itself was challenged, for a voice toned from a girl or a woman had invaded his very mind there...

"_**I wonder… How well do you know yourself?**_" It inquired, just as light finally entered his non-existent-yet-turned-real eyes.

"_...!?_"

There, the first thing Lelouch perceives is the path before him, an bridge of ruins suspended in a garden of dark skies. Surprised, he now finds himself whole once more, his very being clad in his royal uniform of Imperial white, spotless and clean, with not an ounce of the bloody smear that once took place on his heart. Beyond that, after an blink of eyes correcting itself in focus looking ahead, an pair of chairs materialized, both facing each other in opposition in a table, a curious inviting scene meant for him while he recomposes...

"_What…?_" Truly, the Fallen Emperor could barely react at sudden constructing presence of some individual taking shape of an girl before him. It's an young adult like him, her hair shoulder in length, toned with hues of black and purple. She vaguely reminded him of C.C in her uncaring posture, with an strange outfit featuring several instances of the Geass iconography all over the white robes clearly visible on their neck and on the top of the clothing.

It all stared at him thoroughly with overwhelming weight of a otherworldly presence making itself manifest.

"**Lelouch vi Britannia.**" She addresses his name, glaring deeply at his very eyes as if to read him, "**Liar, Murderer, Tyrant… Today, for the geass you once possessed, you stand be judged.**" She declares, taking him out of stupor with a gesture to free chair before her, "**Sit.**"

"..."

The former Emperor then, caught off guard in the sudden declaration done against him, sought to recompose himself, planting a smug smile on his face even as sweat of tension slightly crawled out his face. This "woman" puts him on edge for some reason, her very unnatural eyes expressing intense pressure beneath it's soft appearance. On outside, she appears to simple and normal, if not exotic to look at, yet somehow Lelouch could tell he was face-to-face to something great than it looks, something fantastic and surreal, a norm rule when it comes to the wonders of the supernatural afterlife, much like Geass or C.C.

"So, you are my tormentor, huh?" He flaunted with a blunt statement, taking his seat as ordered, courteous yet arrogant, "Have you decided accordingly on what is my punishment? I assume it must be grand given my magnificent design."

However, shaking her head with grace, the unnamed woman denied, "**No. Judgement requires certainty. Questions yet remain**."

That made him blink. It was ludicrous to hear it, shocking even, "Questions? Questions!? How can that be? Shouldn't you already know what I've done? Aren't you the one God that sees all?" Retorted Lelouch indignant, hiding his surprise with scrutiny. He immediately wondered if he judged the thing wrong.

"**We've seen the results of your actions, but not the scope of your reasoning. For the judgement be whole, no gaps must be left in your past line of thoughts. Such is the way of the King's Court.**" The being affirmed in her strange way of explaining, basking at his reaction with closed eyes.

"(_The King's Court?_)" Many things crossed Lelouch's mind as he processed this. His judgment, fit for kings... Huh. Maybe he was right, maybe he would face the same oblivion he father did… Still, there is one aspect that he found odd, "Wait, _we_? As in more than one person?" Of course, Lelouch already had some reasonable answer to his own question but he sought to confirm anyway.

"**Yes, Accursed. We, for we are many instead of one individual…**

**We are the entirety of the jury, the collective consciousness given form. We are e****veryone you know; everyone you ever heard of; everyone you love or hate; every human being who ever was; everyone who ever lived and will live out their lives; every hunter and forager; every hero and coward; every creator and destroyer of civilizations; every king and peasant; every young couple in love; every mother and father; every hopeful child; every inventor and explorer; every teacher of morals; every corrupt politician; every superstar; every supreme leader; every saint and sinner in the history of humanity…**

**That is us. That is who we are.**" Declared the thing in clamor, giving form to everything she spoke, "**And we demand answers...**"

And Lelouch, who still kept his strong persona mask intact even at face of this possible Deity, had his composure shaken, his face grimacing into a deep frown given what he now sees.

"That is... You… _Are you mocking me?_" He demanded forthright, feeling both insulted and intimidated. Such reaction is expected when witnessing the standing bodies of_ every single being he has ever known and interacted with_.

Indeed… From smiling face of his beloved sister to the grimace of his best and worst traitor friend, to the sight of the four only women he ever loved and his friends from the Ashford Academy… This was but the first line of silhouettes he saw. It began with only faces, but each one grew their own bodies, materializing themselves into view. There was them and many more. Those who he once held dear or who once were part of his life, including those that actually died, be it by his hand or otherwise... They were all standing right before his very eyes behind the face of this woman creature who calls herself god...

But, these were only the beginning. Such rows of acquainted souls continued to extend far further behind the shadow of his judge. There stood the members of the U.F.N; the leaders and generals of old Japan; Knights and princesses of the Britannia Empire; The rising child of China and her genius Bodyguard; The soldiers of his revolutionary order; and even the few loyalist members of Britannia that he actually trust... There were all familiar faces recognizable at sight, all taking place in this garden of afterlife to face him, their expressions shifting into the same expression of his godly tormentor.

"**We are all who we need to be Lelouch vi Britannia, and now your judgement begins...**" They all declared in unison, voices intermingling together.

Now, that cacophony did only strengthen the cold dread rising out from his stomach as Lelouch heard this. He tried to kept himself strong and preserved on his chair there, but somehow he knew that for whatever awaited him now, he knew his mask wouldn't last. He had no pieces in hand, no trump cards to play. There was only his intellect, his guilt and memory to bear, that will be certainly be put to the test from here. Truly, a strange trial about to occur in this mythical garden of the night.

And it's here that his judgement beckons...

* * *

In the meantime, elsewhere within the fields of another flowery garden, an heavily clad masked man strode the renovated halls of the rebuilt Aries Villa. This man, clad in his black caped armor, didn't falter in his steps to reach the very entrance of what was once the vi Britannia's very home, carrying on himself the shadow of ominous wavering cape as he loomed over the front doors.

"L-Lord Zero! You're here!?" Gasped the elderly steward surprised to see the feared vigilante showing up so suddenly in his host's home, "Please forgive me but Her Majesty didn't warn me of any visit from yours, she's not present at moment."

"**It matters not. I'm here for something else.**" Zero declared in his modulated voice, impatiently forcing his way inside.

Suzaku was unnerved. For the past two days he experienced some of the strangest and familiar dreams ever envisioned. They came rather explicitly in the sense of how real it felt, with that chilling and crushing presence of the incomprehensible weighing down on his very being at every second, shaking him down to the core upon remembering it. The last time he ever felt something like that was when C.C did her geassy/magic macguffin to haunt his mind with his father's death… shock images, as she called it, from a incomplete contact/contract.

However, while it was indeed familiar and explicit, the things Suzaku saw was far from mere shock images. No, what the dreams actually entailed… well, It played with his emotions on degree far beyond he was ready for it.

It began with his senses shaping the world in the form of a temple soon after he slept adrift, taking him into a large room carved in white stone, old in architecture, ancient in appearance. Certainly, the place was pristine to look at, well decorated with chairs lined up evenly over the grand view of an stage set right in front of it, all very pretty and stylized in an preserved form of archeological/historical ruins.

...Except of course that these same ruins floated in mid of nowhere above the clouds of a sunset sky…

"(_This place…_)" Suzaku blinked in the resemblance; he had been here before, vaguely speaking. This kind of world style, the surreal expression of some greek/roman senate or even a ancient theater. Yep, it is both familiar and dreadful...

"Wow, what a view!"

"_...!?_" Distracted however, the vigilante could only gasp as a presence suddenly invaded his surrounding right then and there. He turned around to find himself before an unexpected individual, "**Lloyd?**" He called, recognizing that often dismantled short lavender hair anywhere. Indeed, the man was there, the creator of Lancelot, posing ever so carefree even in this bizarre place.

Seeing him, the smiling scientist in his traditional white coat leaned close and blinked, "Oho~ Zero eh? Where did _you _came from?"

"**That is my question!**"

"As is mine!" Another voice challenged with her distraught tone out of nowhere. Glancing aside, the gentle expression of a shocked assistant followed close by, another recognizable face, clad in her classic orange uniform, "You two! What are you doing in my dream? I-I mean this is a dream right? You two look so… real." The woman questioned, completely disoriented as she joined them.

"**What the… **(_From where did she came from!?_)"

"Oh, Cecile! You as well? What a pleasant surprise~" Lloyd greets her with delightful expression, "I have to say yes, this is a dream indeed. Or at least it looks like one for me. Am I dreaming lucidly, or did my brain finally blew itself out again? Ugh… And just when I was getting starting my new knightmare project..." The scientist declared, arms crossed in a thoughtful manner.

"You mean the Lancelot Ascension? You're still working on that thing?" Cecile blinked as doubt took over her face. She looked wary when prodding this dreamlike reality, "Have you actually managed to perfect the usage of the circuitry I designed for the energy wings?"

"Oh yes, you see..." And of course, when talking about his favorite subject, Lloyd just became the blabbermouth that he is, bringing shock to his partner who seem to understand it all, not a unusual thing considering both worked together since forever ago. At some point however they seem to forget where they are, drawn into their own subject of talk despite all the weird environment around them...

Not that any of this mattered to Suzaku. Confusion and alertness still dominated his conscience in this archeological place. And considering he was dressed in his persona of Zero, he was about to question the two newcomers further when he was interrupted. Indeed, in a sudden manner, before a whisper even left his mouth, more people sprout up with the merest of passage of a second later; and they did so quite literally, on the most blunt meaning of the word…

One by one, at each blink of his eyes, they spontaneously materialized into existence. From those he knew the most, to the those he vaguely had knowledge about… They just… showed up...

"What the hell? You guys are here?"

"You tell me, what is this place!? Where am I!?"

"Wait, I'm sure I went to sleep just now..."

"Man, second day I'm already going nuts, never going to drink that much again..."

As such, the chatter soon grew into a mumbling mess as every soul stumbled into the ruins both confused and lost. Suzaku tried to make sense of what he seeing (or more like, how he was seeing...) before he eventually realized that he knew every person that came to be in that place. Indeed, amidst the confusion, everyone was there. Everyone he ever knew. Acquaintances, opponents, friends... even those who once could be considered, family, all were present, a worrying prospect to contemplate.

The crowd itself though just seemed to be caught in the commotion. Everyone seemed to share the same surprise. It was all too vivid to be a mere dream. The manners, the behavior, their very actions. It's all too detailed, too lucid, too clear, too real...

"Looks like we have all been caught in the same net." Spoke a voice, finally catching everyone's attention as voices finally turned down slightly. Glossing over with his flashy long hair, uncommon in a grown man, the visage of the Chinese general stood strong as surveyed the crowd. His mind was the first to immediately put a cog in this weird puzzle in a coherent fashion.

"Xingke… What's going on?" Close to him, the little form of Empress Tianzi looked afraid. Her eyes dancing between her own imperial dress and that of her guardian's royal red gait.

She wasn't the only one though. Kneeling down in a respectful bow, an clearly foreign woman addressed the two with royal respect, "Lord Xingke, My Empress, this is..." Her tone showed reluctance and concern at finding herself so unexpectedly before her superiors. She even hastily inspected her own war-like uniform, the same she wore during her time in the U.F.N moments of strife.

"A dream. Or at least, some shared form of it." Xingke explained in short notice, "Stand up Xianglin, no need for such formalities."

"An dream huh?" Added another soul with a sharp glint in his tone. Frowning in his hawkish features, Todoh looked unabated as he approached them, his arms crossed on top of his martial black kimono pondering the situation, "How odd… Could it be karma? Or perhaps..."

"But how can this be?" At his side, a similarly dressed woman stood, the last remaining member of the legendary Four Holy Swords of Japan's old JLF, "This place… Just where are we?"

"Geass! This madness is related to geass!" A bold voice answered in bland indignation. With her pristine purple hair, and her regal warrior posture, Cornelia gave no quarter as she sprouted from the crowd, glowing in her caped outfit. It is the Witch of Britannia, the goddess of victory, the royal princess herself marching out into the open in rage, "My cursed brother must be haunting us with that power of his! The nerve of him to meddle with my mind, my dreams!"

"Y-your Highness, calm yourself!" Flanking her, the former knight Guilford, lands a hand on her shoulder. The man seemed frail even within his formal dark red suit uniform, his eyes were covered in black glasses, an proof of his scars from the past.

"Big Brother did this?" Sitting wide eyed on her wheelchair, the petite and frail form of the 100th Empress of Britannia brought shock to all who found themselves there, "Is this… Something related to his power?"

No seemed to answer outright to her question, leaving the girl in grim silence in the next second...

"To involve even his sister in this… It seems likely that this might the case, specially if it comes from the Demon Emperor." Finally worded one Japanese, shuffling in his formal, black trimmed kimono. It's Ohgi Kamane, the now Prime Minister of the United States of Japan, who grimaced at the implication of the mess they're in.

"Well, this is definitely worrying. And we're just two months or so away from celebrating his very death after an year..." Commented a concerned soul, her worried green eyes and black hair sparkling visibly over her long stylized pink dress in red trims, "This can be no coincidence."

"Kaguya!" Calling her name out, the little girl Tianzi seemed relieved to see her friend.

"Hello Jiang, how do you do~"

"Hold on! But Lelouch is… He couldn't- He _wouldn't _ever do this…" All eyes turned to see Kallen storming into view, her face steadfast in dead Emperor's defense. Her school uniform was rather distinct from the warrior types around her, an abnormally considering her allegiances. But nevertheless of it, the Ace of the Black Knights didn't falter in expressing herself, "(_He wouldn't do this, not to his little sister or any of us!_) There has to be another explanation!"

"Then this could only be C.C's doing." Someone suggested with quite the finally in tone. Villetta looked prime in her matching attire beside Ohgi. Her sharp expression showed that she didn't forget her knightly roots just yet, mixing both cultures from her homeland and that of her husband, "As part of my previous occupation in chasing after her, It's very possible for that woman to have snared us into this…"

"..." The crowd considered the words of the former OSI agent. It did made sense, that woman was the Emperor's Accomplice. However, looking around, C.C was unfortunately not found among them…

"So that bitch is into this!? Where is she!? Reveal yourself!" Flared an annoyed rebellious tone, shrieking out loud. With his fiery toned hair and that branding bandana, Tamaki made himself as boisterous as he ever is with his festival-like attire. His cheeks were a bit red though, a sigh he was not quite of sober mind, given his dazing steps, "Stopping hiding from the shadows, you slothful little-"

"Calm down Tamaki!" , "Yeah, yelling won't help with anything!" Behind the hot-head, two other typically dressed men tried to hold and subdue Tamaki from his outbursts.

"Ah! Wait, Sugiyama, Yoshitaka, release me!"

"Shut up and keep it down you!" , "It's obvious she's not here!"

"Gah! You guys! Arg-" The drunk man was quickly dragged off to a corner.

"..."

"Hmm… Is this C.C's form of revenge then?" An sleazy voice inquired. Pumping smoke out of her dream-eske pipe, a laid back scientist also looked annoyed. Rakshata, as the brilliant scientist that she is, pouted softly, "If so, how does that involves me though? Was it because of my children squashing her lover's tools? They were quite the hassle for the former Emperor, weren't they?"

"(_What!? Lovers!?_)" Thought Kallen agasp. The nerve of her...

"Ha! As if those pieces of junk were a threat to begin with!" Lloyd snorted, challenging the Indian's implications. This earning him an angry glare in response, one that was swiftly ignored with smug smile, "The last Emperor and his… _concubine_, may have been with bit rough with their craziness but at least they were well guarded by my Lancelot."

"C.C is _NOT_ Lelouch's concubine!" Kallen snapped at them, fuming out of sudden.

"Ahahaha! Is that so, Lloyd?" The noise even brought someone out from the corner, giggling at the word of it all. "Then would you know something about that huh, my dear _husband_? About Lelouch's plans that is~" Milly, certainly made herself present, well vested in her reporter attire as she intervened, winking at both the angry redhead and the smirking scientist.

"D-D-D-Dear Husband!?" This in turn cast desperation into another, a blue haired young waiter who gasped right from behind. Rivalz almost lost his footing listening to all of this, "What is this!? You guys are still together!?"

Blinking, the previous madam president went thoughtful, "Well… Not really, our marriage has been called off completely but we've settled on a deal of sorts, keeping contacts and such~" She replied, visibly teasing. In fact, so carefree was she with her words that she didn't even notice how Rivalz got as pale as a rock before continuing, "So, do you?"

"Meh, his Majesty was quite the distant person, dear. Obviously his plans never came to my notice, much less those of his mysterious company..." Concluded the egocentric scientist, "Then again, we don't know about everyone do we?" He answered suggestively, glancing around towards a certain green haired girl among the newly arrived Ashford students.

"Oh, Nina?" Milly called following his eyes.

The girl then looked flustered, her face shifting from thoughtful evaluation to crippling nervousness under the sudden attention, "I-I don't know… Lelou- I mean, his Majesty never did say anything about this..." The young scientist revealed, "It's like Earl Lloyd said, his Majesty's plans are his own..."

And with that affirmation, silence instilled itself on the room for a moment. It seemed no one knew a thing…

"Huh, ain't this curious." Alas, breaking the ice, an cheerful yet relaxed blonde stepped up. He was casually adorned in your average city commoner, rather outlandish compared to the others but not at all resembling the Britannian nobility that he's supposed to be, "Can't say I get anything that's happening now but If I'm guessing right, this is about old man Lelouch eh?"

"(_Old man Lelouch?_)" Everyone thought, confused.

"You only got that now?" Kallen asked, looking at him with a arched eyebrows.

"Well, yeah?" The guy replied.

Dumbfounded, the redhead just sweatdropped at his simple, if not obvious, answer, "Gino… You…"

"I mean, I just noticed that everyone here seems kinda close to the guy." He added, "Friends, allies, enemies... Isn't all of that strange? I get that I may do fit on that last description but still..."

"..."

His words revealed nothing, nothing that seem to answer the current conundrum that every soul had found themselves into here. If anything, more dialogues continued to be exchanged between the familiar faces. Each trying to draw their own conclusions but failing to come up with an explanation.

And remaining somehow unnoticed, Zero kept his silence, also seeking solutions of his own. Without any doubt, Suzaku was at loss too. Even he didn't knew what the fuck was happening. Why they were there in the C World? Rather, is this the C World to begin with? C.C was never open-minded when it came to this, and he didn't bother much to ask about it back when he was still "_Alive_". Then again, after dealing with the disgusting unknown for so long, he just put all that mess he saw and witnessed into the same fold of it being an "Geass thing", never bothering to question it further.

As a result, when he needs it the most, the lack of knowledge was now biting him big in the ass. Suzaku just didn't know what to do…

"Ufufufufu~"

Alas, as the debate continued, a mocking laugh echoed in the room. When everyone followed the sound of it, they all gasped on spot...

"**S-Schneizel!?**" Recognized Zero in shock.

Indeed, to see the form of the dreaded man who almost enslaved the world in fear among them brought quite the surprise, especially given his overly gallant attire of old aristocracy. The blond prince was regal as ever, clothed in his heavenly white suit of old, pristine as gem, untouched by dirt as it stressed his true heritage. The smug in his face seemed to suggest that he knew more than anyone else in the room, an fact that angered many.

"Now, this is certainly interesting..." The dreaded man commented, "To see those who control the world today all together in my mind. I wonder if this something of his doing..."

Schneizel wasn't alone though. Beside him, three other souls cornered him from behind...

"Quiet you! One wrong move and my blade shall be swift!" He first received a spiteful threat, just as the half-metal half-flesh glare of Jeremiah Gottwald aimed with precision, escorting the same fallen prince in his very own knight suit of old Britannia. And as he mentioned, his left arm, the one he has been known to sprout an sharp edge, was raised high, primed at the prince's throat in a rather close range. If anything, aside from Zero, he was the most well armed man in that very ancient room.

Or that is, if you count men only of course…

Flanking on the other side, the silent and seemly innocent maid that accompanied them kept her composure, appearing as seemly irrelevant to her peers. But to those who knew her true skills, it was clear that she also presented quite the threat to the escorted prince. Sayoko didn't show it but she was as tense and confused as everyone else when dragged into this absurd reality of a dream. Nothing she thought or contemplated had any logic or reason at moment, so she could only her on her instincts to see things through.

"Oh, everyone is here..." And amidst the sharp and serious trio, an small girl in purple dress smiled softly from behind. She seemed out of touch compared to the rest of the crowd, her strands of light pink hair revealing her Britannian origins without abandon. Anya didn't look concerned. She just followed the trio on, settling to stay beside Jeremiah with her usual stoic posture.

"**Jeremiah, Anya, Sayoko… What is meaning of this?**" Zero demanded from them all, "**And you, Schneizel! Have you broken out of your shackles?**"

Taken aback by both vigilante's and prince's presence, the crowd just observed the confront…

And to everyone's surprise, Schneizel seemed to actually lose the smile there, "Not quite..." He first affirmed, pointing at his eyes as it began to glow red, "As you can see, I'm still under your control, [compelled to serve truthfully to my dear master Zero]…" He went on, sarcastically making a "_respectful_" bow to the masked hero, "Not a great condition to be really, although I have to admit it's better than having my consciousness robbed completely. But that said, I still have to [obey, anything which you ask of me of course.]"

"**Hn.**" Met with this answer, Suzaku relaxed ever so slightly...

"Zero, you- Wait... Your Majesty! You have been snared as well!?" Boasted the former knight cyborg frowning in anger at sight of Nunnally in this dream place, "That cursed woman! She will pay for this!"

"We've come up here as well. It seems we have been kidnapped, Zero." Sayoko summarized.

"**Kidnapped? By who?**" Suzaku frowned as the same question flew into everyone's mind.

Jeremiah's face expression seemed to twitch into form, his mechanical eye sparkling wide as the orange knight attempt to hold it down, "I don't know her. She looked like the former Majesty's Mistress but a different hair and attire. She came right under the guise of the night out of nowhere and seemly used some strange power to trap me, us, in this place!"

That short revelation then sent everyone into overdrive. A woman like C.C? Strange powers? The conclusions were varied but their all neared on the same line of thought. None but Jeremiah may have seen who he mentioned but if what he says is true then…

"Thinking about this is a moot point." Schneizel spoke, interrupting everyone, "As much as each of you will likely try wrap your head around who this enlightening individual is. I would consider working on what's ahead of us here than anything else."

Grumbling, the crowd seemed distrustful of the prince, going as far to gloat their displeasure but Xingke however nodded in agreement, "He is correct. Since we're all here, then we can only conclude this was but a planned act..."

"But planned for what?" Todoh concluded, leaving the question to linger…

"..."

"**...Welcome.**"

"...!"

And as if to take the opportunity to answer them, a voice from nowhere greeted the crowd in whole, it's echo foreboding and mystical, coming from the very open center before them.

Folding reality around the stage of the ruins, a woman took physical form, her appearance and visages assumed the very vaguely similar description of what Jeremiah expressed. She looked ominous, mysterious in expression, dreaded in attire as the sigil of Geass was so vehemently exposed for all to see.

"**Welcome to the King's Court...**" She declared, giving this vacant stare that threatened to look right into everyone's soul, "**The tribune of the fallen, the seat of the jury, and the chronicler of time. Do you wish to learn the truth? Do you wish see the faults of the past and seek understand the seeds of the future? If so, make your declaration...**" She invited, extending her arms open as her voice fills the room entirely.

"..." The Shock and Awe was immediate.

"The King's… Court?" Nunnally whispered first, the same words replayed out to the many others, not quite understanding it.

Not at it mattered to a certain knight, "You! You're the one! The kidnapper!" Accused Jeremiah, "I know this is no mere play of the mind. My left eye twitches uncontrollably from the cursed power you bear! Who are you and what is this place you've brought us into!?" He demanded, his expression so crazed that he almost seemed strained into a state of frenzy given his sparkling eye-canceler reacting violently on its own.

"**We are the judge of those that stepped too far, they who held the power of the king in life. This place is the stage of the jury, where all past transgressions are revealed.** **In the days that are to come, an Tyrant of your acquaintance shall stand up trial.**" The woman answered. On her words, the visage of an certain cursed prince came to be, casting a gasp in everyone's face.

Lelouch's very being was revealed in his royal uniform, fit for an Emperor, just like how he stood in life. He just showed up, materializing right beside the woman, shimmering like a ghost as he sat into what appears to be a elegant chair...

"**Accept the invitation and you'll be part of the jury, a witness of the many injustices that were struck, be it to you or to your beloved. You will see the very history written in blood, for the king's past is a relic to be uncovered, carrying the keys that will unveil the truth.**"

From what can be seen, Lelouch didn't seem to notice or react to the crowd however. There was shock making his face, but his reaction seems directed to the strange woman rather than them. Even as the angle and eyes met between on side to the other, the demon's perception seems lost. It is as if he doesn't quite see anyone there...

"**Family, friends, allies and enemies, those who accept the invitation shall join the process. You may or may not hold the king dear, but what you will learn from this moment and beyond may forever change your feelings about him…**

**So, do you wish to join the King's Court?**"

The invitation was handed over, leaving only silence through the stage. The weight of the choice presented seemed to carry through the crowd, who now realized in some unconscious form the severity of the offer that stands before them.

If refused, the opportunity is lost and the truth will be left at interpretation of others, with your memory, mind and soul preserved in integrity. If taken, the truth will be exposed, with all its glory and all its horror manifested to the one who will witness it, something that may shake them to the core... Without doubt, what is presented here is a danger to everything one may or may not believe from the accursed, everything from what they know of Lelouch and his crimes, and the consequences of it all...

"..." The mere realization of this, puts everyone, including the most skeptical and honor-bound individuals into wonder, their curiosity and doubts highlighted to the extreme...

The mysterious woman awaited their answer, leaving them to think it through. Yet, in all reality, as the caretaker of spacetime, such offering is a futile exercise in is entirety. The choice itself is an illusion, a ruse thrown in the crowd's way as per theatrical demands of her duty. In fact, for all that was granted to the souls brought here, it didn't matter what they felt or wanted. Every emotion, every thought, every conceived idea or reasoning was planned by her hand, the infinite knowledge of humanity extended beyond life and death working for this one purpose of gathering them on this very spot, on this very day, on this very dream, to present them with this very unavoidable offer.

She knew that they wouldn't refuse, the very point of them being chosen is solely for that reason. Her offer was a gift, a closure to the wounded, an answer to their worries and doubts, as well as a clarification to the complexities and riddles left unsolved in the current King's wake. This is the task she was charged with, to give an unusual resolution the mere dead soul who now lies beside her.

This one king has done many things, bringing chaos to the world within, yet settling order with his paved intentions. He's supposed to be no different than many others before him… And yet, for his actions in life and the resolution he earned, an special retribution must be given, a gift from the One Above All...

"**So begins the King's Court...**"

_**To be continued...**_

* * *

_Author Notes_: Well, I'm back... Kinda. Alive and all, but not with the same inspiration as I ever had before. I had been wanting to write something like this for a long time now, something that is not quite original but still fun to imagine. There is plenty of story like this but none that wrote the way I truly like. There was always something missing... So, after much deliberation, and constant writting on the background, here my idea of it.

I have other 2 chapters already written, with the scope of the fic written in a different fashion, a more "complete" one if you will. This will not only cover the anime alone no, it will cover everything: The picture dramas, the audio dramas, the animes, parts of the in-the-middle OVAs where Lelouch is involved and etc... All categorized in a well defined chronological order where our fellow jury characters will learning the entire story of Lelouch's overly dramatic adventure.

Let's see if it will work...


	2. Stage 0,001 - A Murdered Mother

**Stage 0.001 - A Murdered Mother**

December 15, 2009 a.t.b… The day that set the world into a spiral... Or at very least, the very first tip of it...

The date itself isn't anything remarkable. There was no worldly disaster, no declaration of war, no massive uprising or anything otherwise that signed that the start of anything worth mentioning on a strict global view. In fact, upon the scale of things back then, it should have been just one occasion among many that occurred in history, a mere tragedy, centered on a few couple of individuals, never bothering to escalate further to influence another life in the other side of the world...

But, considering how the future has turned into, how the horrors of war and death seemed to flow ahead, affecting many lives regardless, this date, and the incident within, marks the very root from where it all started. And this can be traced-

"(_-Here, on_ _this place..._)" Suzaku reflects, surveying the halls upon the entry of Nunnally's rebuilt home of Aires Villa, "(_So here is where it all begin… The Murder of Marianne vi Britannia..._)"

Indeed, the cloaked vigilante was there to see this, inspecting the glasses of the windows and the carpet on the stairs, trying to find and read the history within the architecture yet finding none of it's past. Truly, everything upon the current times seems pristine clean, with not a single vestige of the event that set motion everything down the drain for his old dead friend remained…

"Seeking clues, Sir Kururugi?" A voice commented from behind, making Suzaku frown underneath the mask.

"**Don't call me that!**" He demanded spinning around.

"[Of course, Zero.]" Schneizel, the one who sneaked him up, smirked softly, merely nodding as he was compelled with a monotone voice for a second, "Now now, that was hasty. You don't have to be so tense."

"**Tch... Don't you have something else to do?**" Argued the vigilante dropping his stance. He had almost thrown at kick at the former prince for getting too close.

"Not exactly. Most of the assignments under my hand are ahead in schedule. Managing such things while keeping check is all but trivial to me." Schneizel simply replied, waving his hand off before turning his attention elsewhere, "Unless you have something else for me, I assume you came here for proof."

Sensing what he meant, Suzaku thought for a second and then shook the head, "**No. I didn't need to check it. It's pointless...**"

"Hmm, I see... Not that I cannot blame your curiosity nonetheless. When it comes to covering ploys such as this, father didn't disappoint." The former prince nods, inspecting the hall himself. In a way, he seemed to gloom and brood over the occurred crime, as if expressing some minuscule form of reminiscence to a past memory, "If only I knew more, then maybe I could have prevented this..."

And listening in, the man underneath the mask looked grim. He clearly doubted Schneizel's word but couldn't deny the point. After what they witnessed last night, the history unfolded, the feeling of doubt, the inherent denial of the tragedy felt back then, all of it led him into this place. He was trying to make sense of what was discovered, to see the truth of it no matter how obvious or hidden it is.

"(_The King's Court..._)" Yet even now, the Japanese warrior couldn't believe it. An invitation from the unknown, delivered by dreams? It was madness. More so when he knew cursed things like geass or the conundrum of the C World. These things are not of this world, not to be trifled with...

That said, when offered the truth of Lelouch's actions, Suzaku initially found the idea absurd. He already knew what his friend had done, the horrors and atrocities he went through. Hell, his very own life was part of his ploy in the Zero Requiem. By letting both of them forfeit their lives for the sake of world and redemption, they had to accept and leave the past where it is, untouched. That's the gist of it.

But then, just as Cornelia had whispered in passion the name of his beloved soul, cold reluctance struck his stomach…

"(_Euphie..._)" His only love, his bright flower in life, cheerful, happy and pure, dragged into the mud, washed in blood, _bullet splattered in her very face_.

Suzaku dreaded the memory. The wrath and sorrow that he buried down in his heart long ago had resurfaced... Lelouch had killed her. He did it in cold blood, he did as a means to an end, to allow him pave his way to build what he believed it was the path of peace through the destruction of Britannia. How could he do this? How could he kill her in such way? Stealing her mind out, commanding her to such unfathomable atrocity before murdering her in his very eyes... Was he truly mad? Was his anger of Britannia risen to such extent? Did he really not see any other way to move on?

The more Suzaku pondered, more the questions bothered him, leading him to seek excuses. So much so, that it even reminded him of his encounter at the Kururugi Shrine, where he demanded the truth outright from his friend's throat. And there, Lelouch said he had done so, without any shame or malice, confessing in cold logic his own actions and crimes... And just how that angered him back then, it angered him even now thinking about it.

It was almost if he was lying... Lying to his face, lying the same way he does, without the same cringe, tics, or even tinges of common reluctance! Like a straightforward ruse to mislead the truth out of the bland, heartless confession!

"...!"

That was when Suzaku realized… Could it be that he had been deceived? Could it be that he is right? That Lelouch was actually lying? Common sense and past experiences lead him to believe so. However, if that was the case, what have happened then?

This is the question that most plagued Suzaku. The mere notion of it created doubt in him, it conflicted with facts, it made him stop on track to reason it. There is no other way to put it. Every line of thought led to this strange contradiction. And it isn't just about Euphie. There are other things he wanted to know. Lelouch's thoughts, his choices, his actions, his secrets, the way did things, why he did things… One thing led to another, and all of sudden Suzaku found himself agreeing that he wanted the truth, that he wanted to know the very things he vowed to leave behind in Lelouch's deathbed. It was a stirring irony really, his massive curiosity, for a brief moment overwhelming his driven duty.

In the end, he took the invitation, just like everyone else…It was an hasty choice, true, but was one he couldn't just leave it be. Though the circumstances still are confusing, Suzaku leaned on the possibility of this, the whole court thing that is, was Lelouch's idea. He couldn't not be sure of it, but the hope is there. It was an excuse he could use… Something he really hoped to not regret over.

"(_I need to find C.C…_)" He reasoned next, figuring that this far bigger than he can handle it alone.

...

"Well then… How long do you plan staying here?" Interrupted Schneizel on his thoughts.

"**Hm?**"

"[A certain meeting requires my direct presence regardless of schedule. You let me in charge of rebuilding Pendragon, remember?]. There's no point in being here any longer." The geassed prince affirmed.

"**I see...**" Nodding absently, Suzaku blinks shaken.

Truly, geass is an unnerving concept. To hear the man speak with such finality, so complacent, so subservient, so... obedient, to him. It puts the vigilante on edge. He knows what is like to have your very body driven, the conscience stolen, for the sake of a goal or command. Like him, the man standing as Zero still felt that little tyke pulsing in his heart, searching, waiting, lurking, like a mine ready to be set or a pistol at hair's trigger of shooting, ready to fire and explode at once...

Faced with the prospect of life and death where he can't avoid it, Suzaku can feel that sudden pulling compulsion TO LIVE. It goes against his very essence, ignoring his willpower and morality, forsaking his oaths and promises, all to accomplish the best way to fulfill that objective without a single ounce of his personal consent. If it's so hard for him to handle with such simple command screaming into his mind, imagine how bad it must be for Schneizel who faces a much wider range of compulsions when serving him under the mask.

On one hand, Suzaku knew he deserved it, especially after what he had done, but on the other he can't help but to fell a ping of pity whenever he orders something from the restrained prince, which brings to mind…

"**Schneizel. Why did you accept the invitation?**"

"Hm?"

"**Back on the dream, at the King's Court. Why did the accept the offer? Was it for mere curiosity, or something else?**"

Faced with the inquiry, the prince considered shortly, "Well, there are things I seek to know from my brother's struggle." He first answered, chin held, "If this drama goes the way I believe it will, then I might find the answers to my puzzle."

"**Your puzzle?**"

"Yes. You see, the fact that my little brother managed to outsmart me back in Damocles led to an small dilemma..." Confessed the prince, his smile strangely tense, strained even, as if it carried animosity strong enough to affect his very tone, "In the dire circumstances he found himself in, the fact that my little brother, a man driven by the notion of ambition and emotion, managed to beat me in a battle of logic through the way he did… It sounds so nonsensical to comprehend and accept now that I'm free to remember it."

"**...**" Suzaku stood eye-wide underneath the mask as Schneizel turned his back on him.

"Maybe he had a point about my status as royalty narrowing my sight in some manner, making me blind to his growth. Adversity builds character after all, or so the saying goes. However, I still find myself wondering: to what extent one's life experiences leads to? I have yet to see what change or worth there is in human nature when faced with strife. Things like desperation, hope, will or determination... In my eyes they are just shades of an faulty mentality that are compulsive and detracting to one's goal." The fallen prince explained, his head shaking in disappointment, "And yet, despite such flawed convictions and drives, Lelouch had won over me, through nothing but a simple emotion-fed act... It is truly puzzling to me."

And hearing the Schneizel's justification, Suzaku looked slightly confused by his words, "**And? What is your point?**" He prodded at it.

"My point is: What's the value of human nature, Zero? What is the value of strife in humanity?" The prince inquired back, "Even now as my conscience has returned, my brother's victory still seems like an illusion to me, an lie that seems to be rotting ever so slowly due to the so common human values he and you have longed to indulge. I know how the pieces have moved and how they all fit in the table and yet here I stand, wondering about the worth of Lelouch's actions, still pondering what he sacrificed to earn what he sought... It all sounds so interesting to ponder, so _futile_ of his part to mellow over... I might as well call it a defeat anyway considering how I'm still breathing. In short, my intentions is to learn my brother's human nature and peek into what I'm missing."

It took sometime for the Masked man to filter out the fancy words of the fallen prince. He had a lot to say it seems, "**Human Nature huh?**" But when Suzaku managed to do so, he could only shook the head, "**Oh, I get it. You don't understand a thing about Lelouch's struggle, do you?**"

"..."

"**You don't understand his actual victory or how you've lost even when it's so obvious. You've never had someone you love, someone who you hold dear or anything to fight for… No, you really lack ambition for someone else other than yourself. It's ironic really, but the reality is: Human emotions are more than just what you say, they are the drive that is born from a set of ideals. It's what allows us to surpass ourselves for a greater need, to mark the world and pave a future where we pass on. Lelouch was following his ideals when he faced you, he poured all his efforts, all his desires into his plan… That's why you've lost.**"

"Perhaps, but the fact remains he was the one to lose his life instead of me, is it not? And that through the same ideals and emotions you mentioned..." Argued Schneizel remarkably quickly, "Your words only supplement my reasoning, Zero. Or have you forgotten what your very own "set of ideals" have led you to do? What did that have cost you, I wonder?"

"**...**" Suzaku understood what he meant. He didn't forget his own crimes. The millions he killed, the choices he took… They're all due to him desperately trying to uphold both an ideal and a oath to both the letter and the spirit of it. And he did this through sheer dedication and will despite the consequences...

"Oh, well. Regardless, this conversation won't lead us anywhere. We will see what we need to see in time. I'll be judge of what Lelouch's struggle really is in these strange dreams. I sure expect some grand entertainment." Schneizel ends, turning his back to his jailer.

And as the former prince leaves, the shadowy form of Zero lingers on the halls for a second before following the man's shadow out. There was an argument to be made there, one that Suzaku couldn't put it to words. A battle of wits had never truly been his fort after all, and here, like many times before, he found himself unable to express or prove his point in a rebuttal.

Lost in a cloud of doubt, mystery and uncertainty, it's clear to him that there were too many things to consider now. Indeed, just glancing back in the halls of of Aries Villa's entrance, there was much to learn, from his own actions, and from what his old friend had gone through...

"(_Lelouch, I'm sorry. There's so much I still don't understand..._)"

* * *

And on the same cue, the Demon Emperor found himself thinking the same as his's living friend. As in, he doesn't understand much of his situation at hand…

The creature's declaration of his judgement resumed in her sitting on the chair opposite of him, well in posture and silence. The crowd of his acquaintances faded mist, vanishing at the will of his tormentor, leaving only the two of them alone in that void of nonexistence. In fact, all the grandeur and weight that sprouted out of her mouth back then now seemed rather excessive and theatrical in his eyes...

"(_Then again, this is the Collective Consciousness… In other words, Humanity at its finest..._) Well then, where to start? What answer is it that you seek from me?" Lelouch inquired, complying on his seat. He made a point to arch his back in a overly confident pose like a invitation to jest with words.

"**The beginning.**" It started with the obvious, "**All kings have their roots. If you could give reason for your madness, then where or when it had begun? Was it when you received your geass? Was it when you lost control of it? When you took the throne? Or does your insanity have older origins?**"

Hearing her words, the Demon Emperor frowned. His memories seemed flash upon mention of his atrocities, vague as the words were. Such simple line of questioning… What is she playing by targeting such trivialities? Is he right? Is she just mocking him? It's not too hard to imagine it really, but maybe it's part of his punishment, forcing him to indulge into such reflections.

In that case...

"Hmph. I was born from my father's seed, surely there's no need for any explanation regarding my actions." Lelouch states, challenging her.

"**So you compare yourself and your deeds to those of your progenitor?**"

"!" Twitching ever so slightly, his smirk widened, "Yes, two kings set out to destroy the world. There's no difference between me and him. Or at least, not in principle. I have succeeded where he had failed."

Faced with such bold egocentric response, the woman blinked, "**I see. In this case, by believing in your success, might I consider that your admission of innocence?**"

"What?" Now it was Lelouch's turn to blink. Innocence?

"**The things that were done, the plans that have been taken. You and your father sought to change the world at all costs, to pay whatever price it would take to do so. Clearly you two believed in the same, that the peace sought to both was worth the cost. In other words, you believe your madness is the same as his, that the result was the same, thus, you're deserving of innocence...**"

And remembering that one moment with his father, of his disgusting words excusing himself, Lelouch scowled openly, "No! That man would never-" Only to stop himself, catching his words, "He was only thinking of himsel- His plan was insane, it had no future! That- That's..." It took him a moment to realize his folly. He was caught on a dead end of a empty argument, "Tch! Why does it matter? You were there. You know both the truth and the reason!" He recoiled, hands gripping tight.

"**Perhaps, but that doesn't answer this or the initial question.**" The woman deflected.

"Ngh… (_What is the point of this!?_)" Lelouch gritted as he felt lost in her reasoning. He rebuked himself for letting his emotions play in for a second. There's no doubt it, this was a mockery…

"**Well, when it begun? When did all of this started? No soul is born wanting to destroy the world.**"

"..." Looking at the smile hinted at him, the Demon Emperor pondered on how to face this thing. At moment he couldn't think much of a plan given his circumstances. Considering that he was dead and that this is his judgement, then maybe he just should swallow his tension and go with it.

This is what he planned after all…

* * *

The white stage was set and in following day, the chosen reappeared. There, the columns of desks and chairs that were evenly formed in this greek-eske court were now filled with those who accepted the invitation, and though many on the crowd had their own expectations about this King's Court, as it's called, one known Orange knight grimaced at the aspect of it all.

"(_This feeling… I don't like it._)" Jeremiah Gottwald wasn't as curious or excited as everyone else in there. If it wasn't enough that he stood in presence Marianne's last child, Her Majesty Empress Nunnally herself, who was kidnapped to this bizarre place, the prospect of learning his master's past like a offering felt like an threat of its own. Truth or not, the things that will be revealed here could most certainly undo all the work of his master had wrought, something that Jeremiah couldn't accept outright...

The Zero Requiem was Lelouch's noblest goal. It is his most fond design for world peace at its fullest price! How could Suzaku Kururugi just accept this woman's invitation so carelessly!? It is already an concluded point that this dream is no mere work of the mind or geass, his very cybernetic implementations were warning him of it! And yet he, who claimed the legacy of Zero, didn't even consider the consequences of his choice!?

"(_Such impudence… Somehow this will cost Her Majesty more than her innocence..._)" Jeremiah considered. Even now, he didn't believe it when Zero gave his explanation…

* * *

"_**Very well, I'll accept this invitation...**__" Declared the man himself, his modulated voice carrying unyielding conviction._

"_What!? Zero, do you really think this wise? Your Majesty is…" This baffled the Orange Knight when he heard it. His mechanical ears had long catch the words of many in the crowd who were hopeful for the truth, Cornelia being one among them, which drawn much of the cyborg's suspicions on Zero's intentions..._

"_**Don't worry, I've realized now that this very event was planned from the beginning. This is the last jab of the Demon Emperor... Obviously, for the sake of justice in the world, I shall take this challenge head on. This judgement was long overdue…**__"_

"_..._"

* * *

Truly, Jeremiah was cautious when he read through Suzaku's words. Both of them kept their tones laced in threat and tension, all to discreetly pass what the real intention lies underneath. As confidants of Lelouch's plan, the knight had to know what Kururugi's plan is without revealing his allegiance. To the rest of the crowd, one could judge he spoke of Nunnally by challenging her direct protector of having her trapped in this insane dimension for any reason, but in reality, both knew who he truly looked for.

However, against such clear tone of response from the masked Japanese, Jeremiah was taken aback. Is this really part of his master's plan? If so, why wasn't he told about it beforehand? Nothing from His Majesty's passing will to him suggested something like this… Or maybe, this could his mistress' plan, but even then, the lack of confirmation brought only doubt of it's authenticity and C.C herself nowhere to be found to confirm her acts. Hell, it's debatable that she even has the actual authority to pull this one major trick without warning anyone...

Which leads to the current scenario. An entire day has past and he couldn't directly get in touch with Zero, be it here or the waking world. With his current legacy in owning an mere orange farm preserving naught but an demonized image of him distancing himself from Britannia, it's hard to remotely get info on anything that is happening in the new Capital from the countryside, including any opinion or measure of this King's Court mayhem from the other nations and factions.

Urgh... Nevertheless of it, Zero's acceptance and explanation inevitably brought questions from others, especially from Nunnally and Kallen. Obviously Suzaku didn't indulge on the matter, merely stating that all should pay attention for now. His stubbornness to maintain the charade really ticked off the redhead but she couldn't quite demand anything. At very least, Zero's privileged of status as a hero earned him some refuge…

"(_Still, is it truly safe?_)" In the end, the orange knight was too forced to keep his composure and bid for time. Just what will happen now?

"Jeremiah."

"Hm...?"

"Look..." Calling from beside him, Anya suddenly drawn his attention in her introverted way. Yet, upon seeking her wide eyes, the knight followed in line.

"Wah- That is…!" He looked upon the stage and gaped.

"**Welcome, esteemed jury, to the King's Court…**" There, that judging woman from before revealed herself, taking form before the crowd in cutesy bow, "**At your acceptance to the invitation, you may now bear witness to the accused as he shall reveal his origins in many statements. Hear and pay heed, for the evidence of truth you are about to see, now and in the days ahead, shall flow only once...**"

And suddenly, the world around the stage changed, taking form of a mist that painted a scenario, starting first with the Fallen Emperor Lelouch himself materializing in the his throne like chair to address all…

* * *

**Stage 0.001 - A Murdered Mother**

[_After everything that had happened, after how my life ended taken from me, one would ask, how did it begun? How did I, Lelouch vi Britannia, the Demon Emperor and enemy of the world, was set in this path of destruction? Hmph, the answer is fairly simple…_ _Before my reign, before my height in life, my rise of power or even my devious grasp on the power of geass, my very ambition in life actually came to be since my young age when I was naught but a child…_]

The scene then shifted to an luxurious yellow hall, one whose architecture and furniture resembled to be an Britannian noble home, filled with several maids, men in black suits, grey clad halberd guards and well dressed courtiers, all together in what appears to be a upper echelon party, filled with drinks, chatter and playful smiles…

And among them, three noble stood out from the rest, one lady with two children in tow, boy and girl. The lady was humbly adorned in her simple light orange dress, modestly preserving her tall and yet slim form, with an fairly young bright skin, a long black hair and the crystal violet eyes that reflects well on the children in between her legs. The boy looked more reserved, with a dark red suit along with grey trousers, his features similar to the lady expect for his shorter hair. The girl on the other hand, seemed bright, sporting a more casual green dress to comply with her curly brown hair, which serves as the only difference from the other two.

Those who saw these three, quickly realized who they were and what scenario they were in…

* * *

"That is… Home… Mother, Big Brother…" Nunnally looked wide, her eyes shimmering in recognition, as well as fright from the scene. Hearing Lelouch's narrating voice seemed to upset her greatly.

And she wasn't the only one…

"(_Lady Marianne… alive? Then this when!-_)" Jeremiah looked grim, hand slamming tight on the marble before him as he frowned with tension, anger and even remorse. Cornelia also expressed the same, her eyes tightening in repugnation, not only from Lelouch's presence, but also the dreaded memory of that time. Anya on the other hand shivered in fear, unable to speak.

"I see now…" Commented Schneizel with some drawn conclusion in face. He seemed unconvinced.

Those who didn't knew or understand for sure just observed with both awe and curiosity, just paying attention as this unique theater took such livid and real like form...

* * *

[_Yes, in it was back then, 9 years ago when I lived in ignorance and innocence, that I was forced in my path, experiencing loss in a crude and cruel form…_]

Lelouch continued to narrate as his young self seemed to speak, "Come on Nunnally, time to sleep!" The boy complained.

"No! I'm not tired yet! I want to be mom's princess!" The girl pouted, hiding behind the lady's legs.

"Stop being stubborn! This is grown up ball, it's not meant for us kids, come on!"

"No! I don't wanna!"

Now, it was the boy's turn to pout. Prompting a small giggle from the bystanding mother, "Now now, don't fight you two." She spoke in gentle tone, "It's still early in the night, so there no problem if you two stay awake a little more. You can be my company, Nunnally."

"Yay!" The girl brightened.

Dejected, little Lelouch looked away crossing his arms, "Tch… Mother, you're spoiling her too much." He retorted in a complaint.

Lady Marianne however just smiled, "My my look at you, acting so responsibly. You'll certainly grow to be such a fine gentleman, my little boy~" Her praising words brought giggles from nearby company, which seemed to embarrass the prince shortly given his light blush.

* * *

"Oh my gosh! Lulu as a kid is so cute~" Came Milly's sudden comment, making others either cringe in a sweat drop, nod in agreement, shake their heads or just ignore her straight…

* * *

"Whatever! I'm going back to my room!" Alas, the boy, having lost his patience, swiftly turns around and departs, just as his mother was informed of another guest, one of quite the importance given the steward's tense expression…

"My lady, someone from the capital beseeches your presence. He didn't identify himself, but claims that you know him directly." The man explained, voice stuttering as he leans in close to her ear, "_H-he also bears the Imperial Scepter!_"

Lady Marianne, thoughtful for a second, kept her calm and collected expression with a smile before nodding, "Very well, I shall meet him shortly. Let's go, Nunnally." She acted on, carrying herself down the stairs.

[_Back then, I was as blind and arrogant as everyone else, relishing in my high born privilege that I never gave an eye to the schemes surrounding my family. And as I left halls, knowing nothing of the newest guest, It was there that reality slapped my face and forced me to see the lie…_]

Short moments after that, as little Lelouch strode alone on the corridor amidst the gardens, he was alone, separated from his mother seconds away before loud and continuous noises of clicking thunders soared unto his ears, followed by the shattering glass and pitched screams that blasted from behind all the way back at the halls. As one would expect, this startled the boy to no end.

Recognizing the signature sound of machine gunfire, the young prince sensed the bad feeling rising on his stomach. His mind sparked an quick yet irrational reasoning that led him to run back to his home entrance, heart beating hard at the expectations.

What he saw there however, shocked him for life…

[_Born as Britannian, the subject of warfare and intrigue is a common knowledge to many nobles, doubly so to an royalty such as me. I however, treated the lethality of life as nothing but a game, a pastime that could be easily solved in time. Never had I realized the error of my ways until that day…_]

Across the stairs downwards, a scene like no other burned in the very eyes of little Lelouch…

His mother, Lady Marianne, was collapsed upon the raised steps of the stairs. Blood smeared both the dress and the carpet below, her face found pale, as if cold encroached her being which was shredded like cheese, full of holes on both flesh, cloth and ground. All the windows that glanced outside were shattered, it's sparkling pieces showering the whole room. Couple that with two more unmoving butlers on the ground and everything fits to create this painting image of morbid horror, the very same reaction that branded the boy's face as he screamed.

And to add-in the feeling, the dead remains of his mother twitched with movement as small arms stretched from both sides of the Marianne's belly. Underneath her, shivering form of Nunnally was revealed, her eyes and mouth gasping in sheer confusion as it paralyzed her being, panic and terror of the unknown shattering her young psyche with a permanent trauma of being pressed down by her very mother's dead corpse on top of her…

[_Indeed, the death of my mother, the Assassination of Lady Marianne… This is what changed my life! It's one of many that brought me to the path of war!_]

* * *

The scene lingered frozen for instance in the reaction of the audience, as if it stopped at their will so they could absorb and comprehend what was witnessed…

"Oh man. That's… That's horrible…" Rivalz was the first to comment, mouth agape, "Milly, Gino, did you guys knew any of this?" He asked, driven by morbid curiosity.

The former student president looked down, "Well yeah, in a way. Grandfather once told me and I confirmed with Lulu." She answered, relenting the shock through a sad smile, "But of course, knowing how reserved our vice-president was, he never told me this to such detail!"

Adding up, Gino frowned in struggle, "I only heard what rumors spread among other nobles. Lady Marianne's death was never that clearly explained or publicly revealed beyond the normal terrorist attack…" He explained in reference, "It seemed like an obvious lie and many feared the consequences of even gossiping about it. Some even suspected that it was the Emperor who was behind it, which is really fucked up in my opinion."

"Right…"

"What a shame though." Commented a sleazy voice lacking any respecting feeling near the Ashford crew.

"Lloyd?" Milly recognized.

"The death of such a figure... I just wonder what wonderful Devicer the legendary Marianne the Flash would have been." He reasoned in praise.

"Wha- Really!? Is that all you have to say about her?" Cecile berated at her former boss disrespect to the fallen. Truly, there should be limits to such words even for a sociopath!

"Uhum~ An Knight of Round and a expert in the earliest knightmare models even built… That is quite a woman I would love to have meet as a ally." Rakshata affirmed, smoking a chunk of her pipe in respect. Her face then arched in curiosity before closing the eyes, "Or maybe not. After all, Britannia was quite the enemy even back then. I can only imagine what kind of skills she brought in the battlefield."

"Ain't that the truth?" Lloyd agreed with his traditional smug.

"Urgh, (_These two…_)" Hearing this chat, Cecile just dropped a sweat, deciding to not intervene.

Meanwhile, others expressed their shook in different ways. The dignitaries of both old China and Japan grimaced at sight of such tragedy.

"The first loss huh… I suppose this now pictures the Former Emperor's motivation." Xingke considered, glancing at the scene. His mind was drown in reasoning, seeking more to learn until his attention was directed into comforting Tianzi from her fright.

"You mean revenge? Hmph! That's pitiful compared to the thousands of Japanese who perished both for and against his rule." Retorted Chiba in spite.

"Perhaps, but it gives us an perspective. Like us, Lelouch did what he did for his own relatable reasons." Todoh reflected, eyes closed.

The others considered the words shared for a brief moment before one spoke out, "It doesn't matter." Ohgi states, serious, "It doesn't matter what his reasons were. Though I understand and respect his loss, that doesn't change the crimes he still committed. It is as Chiba said, thousands of other people lost their lives, their families, for something as small and selfish as his revenge. We cannot forget or forgive that."

"That's right! Our lives were on the line as well! We would have died to the little prick if it wasn't for our buddy Zero! The fucking Emperor wanted us dead!" Tamaki added in bold roar.

Though he was mostly ignored, the argument lingered still, creating such mixed reaction among old warriors. Though they couldn't deny the harsh reality of it all, there was some minor reluctance among those who knew the Demon Emperor close.

"(_Lelouch… The loss of your mother is what led you to fight? You have been harboring this feeling, this anger, for so long?_)" Kallen considered, trying to figure out and view herself in his foots. Truly, the closest thing that came in mind as the loss of her brother and the grief felt long back then, "(_Naoto..._)"

"My, that's quite cold of you, Ohgi-sama~" Kaguya commented in a mocking yet playful tone, "Are you truly comfortable in believing what you said?"

"Eh?" Ohgi was taken aback for a second, "W-well, yes Sumeragi-sama..."

"Hmph! You guys are drawing some very harsh conclusions now, and this is just the start! We shouldn't rush in holding opinions until the very end! Who knows? You might be surprised!~" She explains, weighing him down in scrutiny.

This left the Prime Minister silent, deciding to quietly ponder in his thoughts alone. Chiba on the other hand, frowned at Kaguya's view of it, not quite convinced of the worth of reasons compared to the costs in the death of her peers. What went unnoticed from the two however, is that she revealed more in her words than the context first implied. Todoh and Xingke noticed it, exchanging an ominous glance on one another.

Not joining her husband's side though, Villeta had her eyes upon depressed form of her old friend Jeremiah far at distance. It has been two years since the two ever been in touch from their old days at his rise and fall from the rank of margrave in Area 11. Though there were some hard turns between to two them during Lelouch's rise to power, they never quite looked at the other as enemies really. Or at least, Orange wasn't anywhere the monster that Demon was even when working at his side…

Rather, it looked quite the other way around given his tender attention to Empress Nunnally as well as his antagonism against Prince Schneizel after first seeing him here in this bullocks of an dream. If anything, the man didn't fully change on the core it seems, his faithful loyalty and the devotion to Lady Marianne still solidified his honor strongly, which is why Villeta looked concerned for him. With the Demon's past being revealed and the truth of the incident, she could imagine what the man felt having lived there...

"(_Lady Marianne… I have failed you twice now. No, worse than that, I've failed you a thousand times over for each day that I failed to stand at your son's side when the worst happened. For my mistakes, he had perished, and though it was his own will to carry out such glorious plan, it doesn't change the fact that I failed the both of you down to the very roots of that day… My mistake! My ignorance! And to think I still breath even now... Damnit!_)"

Truly, the man was rooted down in a mix of depression and rage, even cracking his own marble desk in discontent of the scene show before him, a image that only cast sadness to those who knew him.

"_Jeremiah…_"

And parroting Villetta's words, Anya observed as her liberator shed tears with hands curled into monstrous grip. It pained her to see him this way. To think that Marianne meant so much to him, the same one that took most of her memories and life away from her… It left Anya mad. She understood, fully so, his respect for the famed lady, but it still left her mad inwardly.

Looking back at the scene though, the former knight of honor wasn't sure on what to feel when it didn't reveal her being in there. On one side, she was glad of not seeing Marianne bewitching her young self there directly. On the other, she could tell that there was something wrong about the scenario revealed here, namely that it was different from what she remembers…

It's a trick of her memories then? It couldn't be. Jeremiah freed her fully from geass, freed her from the lapses of consciousness and the constant fog in her mind. But if that's the case, then why is the past was shown in such way? So many things were different. This is supposed to be the truth right? The magic woman said so. Then again, maybe she was tricked/cursed again. Maybe this another geass. But then Jeremiah used his thing yesterday when they woke in the morning, revealing no actual change in her memories…

So was is it? What's the reason then? What's the truth?

"(_Hmm… If only I had my camera._)" Anna pouted, cursing the fact that her most useful utensil didn't follow her in the dreams. Her mind furiously geared to action trying to sort the direct clash between her memory and what she perceives, futile that it was without her rooted sense of place and being... Clearly, she wasn't very bright in that aspect. That much she admitted. It would take time for her to figure this out on her own. Other than that, she could only gaze at the scene and ponder the oddities.

And on that note, one strange thing above all stood out: Nunnally. She wasn't there when Marianne was murdered. Or least, she doesn't remember her ever being there…

"(_...Then, how?_)" Anya frowned as she looked out of the person in question.

Standing beside the caped clad vigilante, the britannian Empress stared at the scene that changed her brother's life. Nunnally shivered while glaring eye wided. In a way, her old fears of that horrific scene threatened to crush her disposition right there. She wanted to look away, to close her eyes and never ever experience something like that again, yet the attention to the detail, the horror manifested, and the worry towards a past long forgotten kept her eyes locked open.

"Big Brother…" She whispered, taking what little strength that could be mustered to reinforce her resolve. Indeed, Lelouch was not the only one who changed forever after that day. So many things went in her mind at that moment, the biggest one being the flashing gap in her memory when remembering the day whole.

It was lie, all of it. A giant lie built into her memory by her own father. She wasn't there when that assault happened. In fact, when closing her eyes, Nunnally recalls herself in her bedroom shivering scared by the loud noises of gunfire that occurred through the night. This was long after the grown up ball had ended.

She only left her room when her father appeared in the next morning, the looming giant towering over her with his eyes glowing ominously, "Forget that moment of peace Nunnally and drown in the abyss of oblivion..."

After that, everything went black, her very memory skewed completely, the fear stilled into her very core of her being for a ploy she couldn't understand. If it wasn't for Jeremiah with his Canceller, she would never learn the truth completely...

"(_Father… How could you..._)" Nunnally finally managed to close her eyes in a scowl. Truly, she couldn't understand it. She couldn't fathom what mentality one must have to carry a horrendous power such as geass. Whatever madness drove her father to his path, it may also have affected big brother dearly… The lie shown in this scene is a clear example of it. What is there to gain by killing mother? What threat or obstacle she presented? The political maneuvering felt naught but a hidden mystery to Nunnally, a crime from which her and her big brother were nothing but inconveniences on it...

Tensing, a hand then fell on her shoulder as she looked up. Zero nodded in comfort, which was appeasing. He was there to support him now, just as how her brother did. Though the loss of Lelouch still cracks her heart, Suzaku's presence eased the pain.

"_Thank you..._" She consented softly.

And before the masked man could respond, a shade of purple and black approached forth. Cornelia stood before Nunnally with regret written all over her face…

"Princess, you don't need to do this to yourself..."

"Stop it, Guilford. It is my failure. She needs to know." The warrior princess spoke as if ready for an confession, "Nunnally… No, Your Majesty, I've failed you." She revealed, "Back that day, I, as knight of honor to Lady Marianne, failed to protect both her and you from that atrocity. I failed to prevent the horrors of the future from happening. I..."

Nunnally, though initially confused by the sudden confession, quickly recovered, sensing the stress from her beloved sister. In a way, it made her sad, "Please, don't think of it. That was away in the past. You don't have to blame yourself."

"Even then! Because of that, everything that came to pass your legs, mother, brother, all of our family, Euphie... If I had been more aware, I could have prevented it!" Cornelia pressed, grinding her teeth with an passion strong. Both Nunnally and Zero could feel it. The latter even more given his tighter grip on mention of Euphemia, "And worst of all, I still haven't brought justice to her name yet. For all that we know, Marianne's murderer could still be walking free somewhere..."

"Cornelia..." The Empress didn't know what to say. Given the grief her sister was going through, the only thing she thought of was to remain silent. It was better that she let these words and feelings come out rather then let them affect her heart.

Or at least, that's what Nunnally believed…

"(_How emotional..._)" Someone however disagreed.

Schneizel just shook his head as he stared at both his sisters, "(_You have long fallen, sister. The Witch of Britannia is now nothing but a shadow of her former self, a laughing stock to some who witness such weakness..._)" He internally reasoned, shortly ignoring her to focus back on the scene.

The way it portrayed the truth did bother Schneizel to some sense. It was quite dramatized. History was revealed in such biased form that it almost feels like an fantasy tale meant for an audience, rather than a court with an jury. Clearly, the "evidence" seems to be tempered with…

If that's true then, can he fully trust on what's revealed? Lady Marianne's murderer wasn't shown in display here, which is normal, considering that Lelouch didn't knew. Still, Schneizel couldn't help but to doubt what other underlying message could be hiding his this fiasco of a situation. Hell, he doesn't know if he should even waste time thinking about it, especially now that that geass on his mind was partially undone.

The cards on his hand were quite limited, more so with his… master, on constant watch. He needs to wait for an opportunity to act first, see what path opens before acting. In meantime, Schneizel considered continuing paying attention to his fallen brother's past.

"(_Let's see what else you can show me, Lelouch..._)"

Seconds passed, and everyone's eyes turned back on the stage, the scene flowed into motion, reverting into full darkness. At the will of the audience, the very form of Emperor Lelouch reappeared under a spotlight, his frowning face still livid from the atrocity revealed.

The past continued…

* * *

[_It was an outrage! For many days I've wondered who dared to stain their hands with royal blood. I tried to find the truth, to seek help from those who I could trust. But, with my sister exposed and my authority limited to the pity from my peers, I realized that was truly alone in this endeavor. It was expected, I was but a child to them. There was no one who I could trust, no one I could ask help from. The risks were too many. The chance of exploitation being too high..._]

[_Yet, even with under these restraints in place, I looked for an fight. Gossips and rumors flowed, but the news itself was covered in full. I knew there was a hand behind this. I needed to know why Mother's death was just ignored. And for that, I went to the worst man one can possibly imagine… My Father._]

And following from his words, the sound of church bells echoed out from black that shifted into light at the court stage to form the blue skies. There, the high view showed the grandeur that was the palace of steel below the clouds. It is a massive fortification, a giant orange building, surrounded by four white towers with a silverish walls on border and segmented sections in blue.

The palace of Pendragon, the capital of Britannia was marvel in its form, very industrial on spot yet cherishing and adorning luxuries of old, such as lion statues as water fountains, large cathedral-like windows and a giant pristine marble door to serve as entrance hall.

It is there that one boy found himself in front of, standing headstrong as the path opened to let the light inside…

"_Announcing Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, 17th heir to the Royal Britannian Imperial throne!_" The voice of the herald echoed, introducing the very same boy as he walked in, clad in his white formal uniform that was shrouded by an red cape. The little prince glared strongly ahead, maintaining his face of strength as he stepped forth amidst the crowd of noble courtiers flanking his side in bow.

At the end of the room, stood a tall imposing man sitting in his golden throne, flanked by two halberd guards and one shrouded individual. The man on throne was clad in royal purple attire, fit for generals leading the military and his hair was white, imposing and long in both age and form but well preserved in the curls of a judge, an aristocrat of the old traditions.

As he waited the boy to approach, whispers spread among the nobility, their faces showed respect upfront but the mouths smiled in deviousness, all from the rumors that were openly shared among them…

"_I heard Empress Marianne was killed inside of a Britannia mansion._"

"_There's no way terrorists could have just gotten there!_"

"_Then, the real killers must have been…_"

"_Beware, my friend! You'll regret starting rumors like these around here!_"

"_Even so, he seems so steadfast even though his mother is dead!_"

"_But he has no path to the throne now, and the Ashford family who backed them is finished too._"

"_What about his sister, the princess?_"

"_I heard she was shot in the legs and that she'd lost her sight._"

"_Hysterical blindness though, right?_"

"_It's the same thing. She can't even be married off for political gains now._"

But at the face of such scorn, little Lelouch wouldn't have any of that. He didn't care about the nobles. He just walked to the edge of the throne's presence ready for his announcement, treating any and all as his potential enemies...

* * *

"Damn! Those brits must be screwed in their heads." Tamaki voiced, looking annoyed at all the backstabbing decadence of the Court. The rest of the crowd also shared the feeling, though many for their own reasons.

"Tamaki, show some respect!" Came the instant lecture from Ohgi to adhere Empress Nunnally and the rest of the Britannians. You can't risk your subordinate offending the one country they fought so long to bring peace after all.

"Well, he's not too wrong however..." Villetta added as insight, "Our old homeland was practically an den of snakes. There were many families scheming in power ploys. Showing weakness was not an option even when one is down."

"Such is the ways of politics I'm afraid. Basically an battlefield of it's own no matter where it is..." Kaguya commented in reflection, "We're not so different from them at the U.F.N..."

"..."

There was some expectation of an argument against what she said, but the rest of the jury remained silent. Political governmentship was not their purview… Rather, on the other side of this debate, Nunnally had an horribly feeling watching the scene after hearing that.

The reason was quite obvious, "(_Big brother, you went to confront Father!? That is..._)" Insanity… as she ought to say it but couldn't...

* * *

Little Lelouch was but a child of course. What happened there was but fate, something that was hard to witness no matter the reality of it...

"Your Majesty! My Mother has passed away!" The prince confronted upfront. You could say he really tried to gauge some reaction from his father, or maybe the court itself.

Alas, the addressed man kept his undisturbed face, "So, what of it?"

"What of it!?" This truly surprised the boy.

"You sought an audience with the Emperor of Britannia to simply tell me that?" The man continued, not even bothering to hear the kid's answer, "Send in the next person! I have no time to babysit a child!"

Lelouch was left completely disturbed, "Father!" He called, impulsively stepping on the stairs in attention, only to be stopped by the guards who pressed their blades against him. This even shocked him more. The nerve of it... He was treated as if he was a assassin! In fact, if it wasn't for the swaying hand of his father, the Emperor, they intended to cut him through!

"Why? Why didn't you protect Mother!? You're the Emperor! The greatest man in this nation! You didn't even visit Nunnally!" The kid begged, almost in vain. There was so much he wanted to know, but so little time to ask...

"Why? I have no use for that weakling." Came the immediate response, breaking the young princeling even further on how uncaring the man sounded…

"W-weakling?"

"That what it means to be royalty..." The Emperor concluded without sporting any empathy.

And Lelouch, unable to accept such heartless response, gritted his teeth, glaring back with anger as he challenges his father with anger, "Then I don't want to be your heir!" He declared in disgust, "I've had enough of the fighting and the scheming over who will succeed you!"

"...!" Whispers the followed, the courtiers wondering the weight behind such defiance to the Emperor himself. He may be an direct heir but even then, to abstain from lending his geniusness to the nation… It is unthinkable.

Sure enough though, such proclamation actually left a bad taste that fouled the old man's mouth, making him frown on the spot, "**You are dead.**" He determined, loud and bold, "You are dead, yet you speak as if you've lived through multiple hardships to earn your keep..." The father's voice became rougher, rising in tone, harsh in voice as he lectured, "It is I who put those clothes on your back, a roof on your head and food on your table. You're only a heir because I named you one! In short, you have never actually lived!"

"Ah…!" The boy, not expecting the aura of the Emperor to overthrow him, it made him falter on sight, falling down as his name was uttered…

"**Lelouch!** As you are dead, you have no rights! I'm sending you and Nunnally to Japan! As prince and princess, you will serve as bargaining chips for the Empire as a whole." The Emperor declared, his imperative will shaping the reality as it was for the esteemed jury of the future, changing the view of the Imperial Court to reveal the dreaded outcome that resulted from this, "The Prime minister son is the same age as you. Make him and the other idiots your puppets!"

From this, little Lelouch listened, frozen in fear, but he listened, recording these words deep in his mind as he and his sister now stood in front of an airplane, right before the gathered crowd of his insanely large royal family. There, each of his brothers and sisters watched him leave sadly as they were unable to do anything, nor say anything on their departure, for dread and sadness seemed common among them. He was made into an example, a sign for those who dare to challenge the Emperor in his wishes.

"Each member of the royal family has a role they must play. Your role, alongside Nunnally, will be to lay a foundation for Britannia's presence in Japan. Failure to do so mean you won't have anywhere left to go on this world!"

Thus, with his fate sealed, the plane flew off at night, with the boy's destination set on course around the globe far in the east...

[_There was no argument, no sway in his words. No, his spite was clear, his disgust to our presence treating us as nothing bugs being lower than pawns! Truly, my hatred for that man only grew after that day. He threw me and Nunnally away from home, and for that, his Empire now had it's days counted… It would take many years that is true, but never I would forget what that man has even done, to me, to my sister, to everything I've lost..._]

[_So was I, Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia, exiled from home!_]

* * *

The very stage seemed to freeze, the world distorting and vanishing into nothing. The jury audience stare agape, feelings and thoughts running wild. But before they could even react to the last scene, the very court from where they stood dismantled itself, just as how it had done yesterday upon acceptance of the invitation.

Soon enough, every single witness of the stage would find themselves in their own beds, back to the waking world in a new morning…

_**To be continued...**_


	3. Stage 0,515 - The Uninvited Prince

_Based on the Picture Drama of same name..._

**Stage 0.515 - The Uninvited Prince**

As the sun reached Nunnally's face in her sleep, the brunette girl opened her eyes to find herself in her bedroom. She looked solemn in awe, the mind running livid from what she had learned in her most recent dreams just now… It was surreal, all of it. The last two days came off as an unexpected surprise. An invitation to an court in her sleep, followed by horrible reenactment of the day she "became blind and crippled". Truly, the little Empress had a lot of storming emotions clashing in her heart.

Seeing her big brother again firm in his form, with the vigor of life on his face, brought such unimaginable joy to her that she almost shed tears on mere sight. If it wasn't for the agitating surprise of it or the grand company she was along with Nunnally would gladly immerse herself in the brief reunion that was presented to her, regardless of it being nothing but an illusion.

Yet, real or not, both the truth and the discussion that followed was not light in the brightest. Every soul and person she saw there acted as exactly as how she knew them. Her friends, her family… Quite, even those she didn't knew much about behaved in such realistic human way that they couldn't be just mere figments of her dreaming imagination. The sight of the U.N.F's own heroes and champions only added to the awe of it all, souls who had a link with her brother somehow.

And then, there is the memory itself, the stage unveiled. Her mother dying before her eyes, the horror that her brother saw, the confrontation with father… The last one of all was the most shocking of them all. Her brother went to speak with the Emperor by himself? Lelouch never told her of this! Or rather, he never told her that father was cruel to such degree! Maybe he soothed the words here and there, using excuses and semantics but, the rumors she heard... the things that were said…

Nunnally felt overwhelmed. She knew that father was a bad man, one willing to use his own children for selfish goals. She may never ever witnessed or experienced such truth with clarity but the impression was well implied after that scene. And to think Lelouch kept himself composed for so long before her... He kept his anger well hidden, lying to her face over and over to protect her, never showing his hurting side.

It's in times like this that Nunnally really felt helpless. There is no wonder that Lelouch did many things, if not everything, for her sake. She learned this in the hard way, for good part of these things turned to be very bad in general. Lies, murder, gross manipulation, massacres… Nunnally doesn't like to think of it, but she can't deny how far her big brother went down to have it his way. He may have redeemed himself in the most horrible way possible true, yet it doesn't that doesn't change the evil of his actions.

And that's not even to mention geass…

Right now, Nunnally doesn't know much about such cursed power beyond what she has been told: a power capable to manipulate minds. She remembers it's mysterious and instantaneous effect back in the Damocles, casting confusion to her reality, robbing her of her will in a blink of an eye... It truly terrified her to realize it actually exists. And both father and brother had it since long time, their secrets taken with them to the very grave.

Now, she doesn't want to do anything with that thing, she really doesn't, but the secrecy regarding her brother's deeds, combined with all the struggles and crimes he committed made it hard for Nunnally to not feel at very least curious of what he had done with such power. This is why she accepted the King's court invitation, both to know the truth and to find a way to vindicate the image of her loving, idealistic, and at very least flawed, brother in her memory.

Knowing is the smallest thing she can ask for, something to keep as memento for his passage, something to remember the worth of his sacrifice…

"(_Lelouch..._)"

*Knock, knock, knock*

"...?" Alas, distracted in her many conflicting thoughts, Nunnally was brought back to reality when the door of her room was knocked...

"Your majesty?" Coming from the front door of her room, an well known friendly voice addressed, "Your Majesty, may I enter? You have an important guest." It was Sayoko, polite as usual. Even now, after the whole war ended, the japanese maid never faltered in her manners, even when she was requested to do so given they are like kindred sisters of some sort.

"Ah, come in. Who is it?"

"Your sister, Princess Cornelia." Affirmed the maid opening the door with a graceful bow.

Stepping inside, the visage of her old sister once more stood before her, majestic as usual even this early in the morning, "Hello, Nuna. Did you sleep well?" The warrior greeted with a small smile.

Nunnally however, had other thoughts, "Depends. Today, I had such a nostalgic dream. It was about you, about brother, and even mother..." She answered, treading a field.

And as expected, Cornelia seemed to react, her eyes tightening in a mini frown, "Yes, I as well dreamed so, of both good and bad things..." She maintained her calm and act though, merely closing eyes to a breath, "It seems that the past is affecting me deep these days, these old wounds of war… Nothing that you should worry about though."

Nunnally then lose the mask, sighing softly, "Can't I though?" She asked, making her sister blink, "You seemed so sad when you spoke about mother. I can see you still feel like you can't forgive yourself for what happened." She added to the now opening eyes of Cornelia, "I'm sorry sister, but after hearing something like that, I can't help but to be concerned..."

The dawning epiphany lingered through for the brief moment, to which the warrior princess eventually shook her head and sat on the bed looking defeated, "So you do remember… Heh, I don't know why I kept doubting it." She expressed, washing the sadness away to smile a little.

"I was surprised as well. It sounded too strange to me, even sillier trying to confirm with someone..." Commented the brunette girl, sharing a giggle as she glanced at Sayoko who returned carrying both tea and coffee for the both of them, "Then again, It's quite bothersome when _everyone_ keeps secrets from me all the time~"

And at her seemly accusing tone, the ninja maid returned a smug, "Well, I only thought of keeping you safe, _Nunnally-sama_~" She replied in kind, "After all, many things about this King's Court remain unknown. I can't tell what's true or not yet, or even if it is safe for us to be saying anything. Our very minds may have been tempered with, given the circumstances..."

"Hmph!" The little Empress pouted her cheeks, not really happy with those facts.

"She's correct however." Cornelia concur, now assuming a more serious posture, "That dream kidnapper is definitely suspicious. The powers she possess are at very least an threat us all. Anything that is strictly similar to the mind treachery of geass cannot be ignored…"

"What you suggest then, sister?" Nunnally asked understanding the situation.

"We need clues about this dream. Any information will help. The location, the effect, those who are involved. If we could just reunite everything, we might find something to work with..." Proposed the warrior princess.

"I have already looked into every corner of that dream's court over the course of both nights. There's no indication of anything more than what it appears to be, entire ruins build on a piece of ground, floating in sunset sky." Sayoko informed upfront, "There's no stars to pinpoint in space, nor there's any mainland to be seen through downwards. No entrances or exists."

"We need to dig through the rock then, look for something more fix on materials; study how this dream effect works; learn if it is a dream to begin with; something lucid or otherwise; find out how sleeping brings us there; where it brings us really; what happens to our bodies when we're asleep; why and how it picks our clothes or arms, if it picks them; and lastly if we can remotely influence the effect, as breaking out of trance, waking up to reality or anything similar..."

Cornelia suggested many things, her mind of an military veteran treating the whole thing as an enemy action. Sayoko, while not outwardly expressing it, seemed to take notes of what was said. As for Nunnally, she listened close, pondering how she could help in her position.

Time passed, and as their attention focused on setting some plan, the nature of Lelouch's struggle and the effort he had to gone through came quite as an second thought…

* * *

Laying his arms off, Lelouch relaxed from his stated answer to the judging woman before him. It was quite the interesting experience he had to admit. Probing his own memories and giving the thoughts life was an ability he didn't expect to show after being so thoroughly questioned by a single line. The sight of it all, the shaping performance molding reality around him really helped him convey his answer.

The one thing that bothered him however was the seemly nonchalant reaction of his "judge"...

"**Such demonstration… You've proven yourself to be clearly affected by your past.**" The thing said smirking a mocking smile.

"Well, this _is_ the C world... I do recall father and C.C explaining something like this. The Thought Elevator, he called it..." Explained Lelouch in calm demure, "It is an interesting tool to have."

"**Very true.**" The woman nodded, "**So, your exile... That is what changed your life. After days under pressure and panic, surrounded by many who you considered your enemies. How bad have you fared after your departure?**"

Lelouch pondered on her words and laid motionless, "It got… better, for a while." He considered in a quieter tone, as if stranger to the basic sense of peace, "Though the first days of my arrival were trying to my being, the patience I preserved in face of it all earned me something I might consider it worth."

"**Such as?**"

The Demon Emperor faltered to answer briefly, but he recomposed, "A friend..."

"**Oh?**"

The revelation created a silence there between the two. The fallen Emperor seemed to savor the meaning of the word he just said. It carried memories to him, some good, some bad, a mixed nature, things that disturbed his streamlined/distorted morals. Whereas it was easier to accept the concept of it when he was an naive child desperately seeking help, reality as usual as proved to be as wild in change as allegiances tend to be.

And he speaks with life experience to prove it...

"**Do tell me then, Accursed One. What kind of experience you have to say about your exile and trials you have come across...**" Stated the ominous woman pressing forth, as if almost reading his mind.

Unfeeling to her, Lelouch just closed his eyes and let the world take his thoughts to answer the question for him…

* * *

Third night and the jury found themselves in the marble temple once more. At this point, an pattern was pretty set, understood and accepted in consensus by now. The King's Court has replaced their dreams, robbing them of a lull rest to be a witness of personal history, the fantastic past of the renown Demon Emperor.

Many were wondering what they would see today. Expectations were high as usual and the discussion of yesterday yet lingered in their minds...

The child Empress Tianzi, for example, still feared the sight of the Britannian Emperor towering over the seemly innocent form of Lelouch. The oppression she felt was comparable, if not worse, to everything she suffered in the Eunuch's hands in her own land. Indeed, just the words of the dreaded man alone brought shivers in her being, the resolution of that dramatic encounter giving her another, crueler perspective of her dreams in wanting to know the outside world.

Safe to say, Xingke was impressed by her insight, an praise that brought relief to her heart and made her feel safe. In a way, she now wants to know more of Lelouch. To know and understand the difference between being strictly isolated in home and being forcefully throw into the wilderness without choice. It is a lesson to learn indeed, for her, and for the others present.

"Truly reprehensible." Commented the japanese veteran Todoh in memory of yesterday, "That man… He has no honor." He calmly affirmed.

"No Honor? That's the underestimation of the century! What that man lack is humanity! To force his own son on that..." Kallen on the other hand was pissed. In a way, she had the smallest of hopes that her Britannian side of her blood would have some worth but that just past scene of yesterday just proved that wrong.

"Well, shouldn't that be too obvious for everyone? That old man was practically the embodiment of Britannia, the one who almost doomed the world if we just think of it~" Added the earl Lloyd in his earnest opinion.

His comment brought nods among the crowd. Everyone disdained the way that the Britannian Emperor expelled his child so ruthlessly in the manner he did. Not only it was an disgusting overly blown action to mere child but he also may very be the cause that led Lelouch into turning into what he became today, an threat to everything and everyone across the planet...

The impression was so deep that it even brought shame to those who once proudly accepted Britannia for what it once was: Nina, Villeta, Gino... even Cornelia and Guilford in some subtle way, they could only look down on what they happened and mentally reprimand themselves for their crimes. After all, every Britannian was part of The Empire in some way, shape or form...

"Ah, there she is!"

Alas, all of that discussion was about yesterday. Now however, something new is about to happen, and from everyone present, Rivalz was rather excited as the ghost woman took form.

It was starting…

"**In the revelation of the Accursed's Exile. His struggle continues, his steps to power and despair beginning with new step in life, founded on a new meeting...**" She first began, giving space to the despondent visage of the Demon Emperor looking thoughtful as he began his narration once more…

* * *

**Stage 0.515 - The Uninvited Prince**

[_Britannian Imperial Calendar, year 2009, Japan..._]

Lelouch spoke one line and let the stage shift, drawing a scenario of stairs, long white stairs flanked by green bushes and canopies of trees shaking audibly from the winds blowing.

On top of these stairs, several men and couple of children took place, varying evenly among the steps. The men were in suits, clearly business-like, watching both the surroundings and their escorts with their sunglasses. Said escorts, the children, were recognizable on spot. Little Lelouch in his own white suit of a young nobleman, carrying the entire body of his sister Nunnally on his back, while carefully climbing up the steps one at time.

As the stage lensed close into the girl's face, It was clearly shown that she kept her eyes closed, never seemly willing to open even as several seconds passed on, her mannerisms and reactions across the world around her condemning her state…

* * *

"Ah… That's the..." Recognizing the place, both the grown Empress and her side escort Zero reacted in a instant.

"(_My home..._)" Suzaku leaned. That left him somewhat nervous…

"I see. Now, we come to scene." Todoh proclaimed, his tone ever so slightly eager as he and Kaguya exchange a look. The young chairwoman beamed brightly as well, a reaction that did drawn some attention.

"Eh, you knew Lelouch when was young?" Asked Ohgi somewhat surprised.

"Yes, he was quite the rude fellow. Pitifully weak in body, but fiercely stubborn and smart… We never got that well together." Reminisced the old warrior, arms crossed.

"Well, maybe if you weren't so stuck about it when treating with him, you could have made a good friend!" Sumeragi retorted almost in a mocking tone.

"And show him leniency? No. He wouldn't ever approve that. The kid barely trusted us as we were there, and given the circumstances, I doubt he would ever accept any unworthy assistance, not without seeing price or leverage underneath it, real or imagined."

"Hmm…"

"Also, you as weren't any better back then, Lady Sumeragi. You picked him as much you picked Suzaku. That didn't do well in befriending him fully, did it?" Threw back Todoh with a smiling challenge.

The teenage politician however just pouted, "It's not my fault, Lelouch was just too cold and lonesome!"

With their story somewhat confirmed, all eyes looked interested in the dead Emperor's past acquaintances. Eager to know more, they turned back to pay attention…

* * *

"A shrine?" Nunnally seemed at ask childishly curious as she held tight to her brother. The wonders of Japan echoes like a mystery to her ever since they arrived...

"It's like the imperial church..." Young Lelouch answered, his tone slightly strained.

"So the Emperor is also like the pope?"

"...No, Japan doesn't have a Emperor, they have a Prime Minister... They voted for him. It's just that the Kururugi Home just happens to a shrine. There's no special reason for it..." The boy did his best, answering what little he learned from Japan in general. His rough breaths made it hard to speak consistently but he embraced the extra effort.

"Are you alright Lelouch? This seems to be an awfully long stairway…" Nunnally however noticed, wondering how far they have been climbing. And considering how winded her brother sounds, this left her worried.

"I'm fine, this is nothing..." The boy assured, sweating heavily as his legs screamed in pain.

Above him however, the future form of the Demon Emperor, stood forth, looming over the two kids for a brief second. He was like a faint ghost, not fitting in the reality of the stage but merely presenting his opinion much like yesterday.

[_To be honest, this was a tough climb for an nine year old, but I was determined to do it. I had decided that no Japanese would even touch Nunnally, ever..._]

On top of the stairs, little Lelouch reached the end to find himself in the presence of several individuals. Each clearly recognizable on their own: An young brown haired boy with forest green eyes dressed in his white & black kimono; An grown black haired hawkish man dressed similarly like a mentor; An old bald elder with a walking cane shrouded in menacing black; And lastly, a young girl of black hair, jade eyes and an stylized kimono dress, trying her best to keep hidden.

* * *

"Oh there he is, little Suzaku!" Gino asserted smirking, "...Doesn't seem much happy though." He commented laidback.

"No one is actually, look at their faces..." Added Nina, of all people, looking worried.

Listening in, Zero remained like a cold statue outside, while on the inside, Suzaku looked uncomfortable, "(_If this stage is going to reveal everything, then..._)" He braced himself, hardening his heart for the worse, "(_It doesn't matter… Suzaku is dead. I am Zero now. Servant of Justice and Peace… Yes, I am Zero..._)"

Yet, despite his mantra, the man who was alive couldn't take off his eyes from the stage...

* * *

"Good morning…" Lelouch was greeted with cold looks, facing frowns and scrutiny from most of his peers. These Japanese… They didn't introduce themselves, they didn't announced his presence, no, to them this was just an encounter, a meeting, face-to-face between two different foreign diplomats under clear attrition.

So, returning the treatment in kind, the britannian prince didn't bother treating them with respect. He just instead checked his pockets and clothes to present an letter to the oldest among them along with an demand, "Where we will stay?"

And taking his time, there was no response. The elder just read the message silently among his peers for about a minute before pointing at some direction with his cane. As Lelouch saw it, he was directed to an ramshackle wooden building at distance, barely resembling any sort of house to begin with…

"Welcome to Japan, Lelouch and Nunnally vi Britannia..." The elder said looking down on them, "That will be your home for now."

To say that the fallen prince looked bitter was an understatement. After living his entire life in the grand care of nobility, at the comfort of luxury, adjusting to this lower standard was truly an new experience for the royal boy. As far as he could tell, the hospitality of Japan was far different from what he learned in his studies.

[_The place we were given to live was just a small storeroom within the Kururugi Shrine. I was momentarily speechless when I saw it._]

* * *

"An storeroom!? You Japanese gave an storeroom for His Majesty to live!?" Accused Jeremiah irate from what he saw. His outburst was somewhat unexpected.

"Hmph! Living in a shrine is not for comfort even for us. We are not as slothful or pompous as you Britannians tend to be." Chiba argued, challenging the cyborg knight.

Then again, Orange wasn't the only one angry, "Even then! I had sort of expected it to be just an empty room with flat futons on ground, you know, with the minimum of modesty." Milly too seemed a bit grumpy to what she saw, "Never I would hand over an tight packed warehouse compartment for someone to sleep!" She affirmed with conviction, making the the rest of the Ashford students nod in agreement.

"Also, talk about a cold reception!" Rivalz added, "Just what went wrong and ruined your day back then?"

Everyone then looked at Todoh as he is the one old enough to represent himself in the scene. However, before he could speak, it was Kaguya who answered, "Well… relations between Japan and Britannia were starting to grow tense at time. That evil Emperor was quite the warmonger and we weren't blind to his conquests around the rest of the globe. While it's bit embarrassing to admit, we were a tiny bit scared of what was coming..."

The crowd then considered Miss Sumeragi's words and draw their conclusions.

"That may be so, but I've got to ask." Gino started, "If you guys saw Britannia in that light, then isn't risky to treat two of their royal princes the way you did? Don't get me wrong though, I don't get politics at all but still..."

Silence filled the room from the question, yet the japanese took their time to answer…

"Let's just say that we knew war was near..." Todoh explained in his defensive, "It was inevitable. Prejudice and animosity was quite widespread on the country already, so we had hard time trusting what the prince's, or more like his father's, intentions were when he was thrown into our land. The letter Lelouch gave to us proved that he and his sister were really just political hostages given to us for leverage, an action to buy time under ruse of diplomatic immunity. We held no illusion there. We knew that they would serve only to be excuses to start the invasion. That was clear as day back then…"

And given the explanation, everyone reflected on that statement and understood, if slightly, what he was into… An ruse for war. An political maneuver. Manipulation at its basest form. Safe to say, the audience wasn't happy to hear about that. This whole conundrum felt like the tip of an avalanche mounting up to collapse down...

* * *

"Brother, are we there yet?" Nunnally inquired as the two kids were shown standing in front of the given storeroom that is about to be their home. Truly, it was really just one third of an house standing amidst the trees, with a single front door, and one square window that barely fit the description of it. In this is contract to the rest of the temple, which was quite large and spacious...

"Uh… Y-yes, we're here." Lelouch, brought back to reality by his sister, felt strained even to speak.

"So, what kind of room is it? How is our new home like?" Came the innocent inquiries of her eager mood.

Not wanting to squash her expectations, the boy felt he had no choice, "It-it's a wonderful place. The walls are as white as snow. Oh, and there are flowers decorating the windows." He falsely described with a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Sounds like Euphy's room."

"Well, yes. It's just a bit smaller though, but since it's just for us, it's will serve just fine…._wha-_!?" Alas, as he introduced his new home to his sister, little Lelouch sensed the presence of something, someone lurking nearby, "...Who's there!?" He demanded to know, looking around as sounds stirred, "You show yourself to me right now!"

"Don't talk like you're all big!" An retort boasted forth, followed by clear steps that approached.

Coming from a corner inside the building, the fallen prince came across once again with that same boy he saw on top of the stairs, the kimono kid. His frown was deep, the enmity clear as he strode with head right, as if to show authority and defiance with his imposing gait.

"This used to be MY room at long time before you ever came here." The japanese boy affirmed.

"Your room?"

"You britannians have a lot of nerve! You think you can just come and take over Japan?" He accused next.

That little remark left Lelouch angry, "Hmph! Look who's talking, Japan is trying to enforce dominance as well. You enact sanctions on the countries you deal with and use secret money to control businesses." He argued, using his both his knowledge and strong words in a line.

"E-Erm..." That seemed to have an effect given how his opponent failed to reply.

"Japan and Britannian aren't that different from each other..."

"That's a lie!" The young japanese snapped back, offended.

"No, it's not! Try asking your father!"

"You lie about everything! What's this about white walls!? Where are the decorated windows in this storeroom!?"

The kimono boy's comeback boiled Lelouch's blood for a second. Insulting and provoking him was one thing, but to disturb the fragile feeling of peace he built for Nunnally? That was a step too far, even if it was a lie. Now, it was his turn to bark in righteous anger, "SHUT UP!"

From there things quickly derailed into a brawl...

* * *

"Huh, they're like water and oil..." Gino spoke not quite appreciating the scene. He turned to the rest of the student council and asked, "Are you sure these two were friends?"

Rivalz, Milly, Kallen and Nina then looked among each other and tilted their heads, "Yeah… They were friends alright." Rivalz replied, "Never saw them fight against each other like this though. At least not when they were in school..."

"That's right. They seemed to complement each other easily when off duty." Milly added with smile, one that turned into a devious one a second later, "Almost _too easily_ I might add~"

"They were close friends, that's all!" Kallen affirmed roughly, frowning at the blond reporter at her side, "Their trust go deep when they worked together. Beyond that, all I can say is that Suzaku changed during the war. I don't know when or how, but that man made some very stupid choices in life..." The redhead commented, glancing aside at the corner of her eyes, as they narrowed upon the sight of the capped vigilante.

"Kallen is right. Suzaku was… faithful. Not just to Lelouch, but also to… Well, his friends." Passing her impression, Nina seemed to freeze amidst the sentence, her mind going through other thoughts right there.

"Right, deep trust eh?" Alas, Gino seemed satisfied with his friends' praises. It made him quite curious as to how did that turned out to be, "What about you, Empress? What you have say about Suzaku." He abruptly asked.

The sudden and casual addressing of the lesser noble to royalty did shock some of the Britannians there, Cornelia and Guilford in particular…

"Y-you… I know you once was a Knight of Round before sir Weinberg, but show some respect for the crowd!" Lectured Cornelia's right hand, ever fierce in manners.

"Oh… right..."

"It's okay Guilford, no need to be so formal. We're both from the same school." Nunnally however dismissed the norm outright, "Suzaku is-was, always well meaning. A bit of a blockhead sometimes, but still a good friend. He has a good heart. To this his country, to his people, and his friends…" She expressed smiling.

And while that brought a good atmosphere for the Ashford Students and the remnants of Japan, including a reluctant Kallen, showed some resentful feelings against what was said. None dared to comment after the Empress out of respect, but the truth of Suzaku's deeds has without a doubt a dark side, regardless of his good will.

Even the man himself underneath the mask grimaced as he felt he couldn't accept the praise his old friends gave him. He knows his own sins, he can never forget them nor can he forgive himself. It is why he donned the mask, an form of redemption through death of a personality, an action to make things fair…

"Alright! At least old man Lelouch had a good sidekick it seems." Gino judged. He seemed happy with that, for now...

* * *

The whole scene flowed slowly upon wish, as if passing a message directly, showing the audience some more clear to what they're about to see...

[_...I charged him without thinking, fists swinging. But, I was no match for him. I was defeated, just like that, collapsing and grovelling on his feet..._]

And point taken, driven his impulsive feeling, Lelouch's punch didn't even reach his target before a fist crushed his chest in a reflex. The japanese boy was quick in his stance, adopting some resemblance of an martial skill as he countered instantly.

And it didn't end there...

"How's that, you britannian bastard!?" The local boy, jumping on the fallen prince, continued his assault, throwing punches and curses relentlessly as he pinned the Britannian on the ground, "Don't. Look. Down. On the Japanese!" He shouted, crushing with every word, punch by punch.

Fully overwhelmed, Lelouch could barely scrap an word at the mercy of his enemy, "S-Stop! You barbarian!" But it was to no avail. The assault just continued, attacks met without retaliation, the grunts of pain so clear that it brought dread to the one bystanding soul who could hear it all...

"P-please, stop it!" Sensing her brother's distress, Nunnally leaned alarmed from her chair. Her brother yelps reached her ears and she knew he was in danger, "I don't know who you are, but I'll do anything! Just stop hurting my brother!" She declared, trembling in sheer panic.

The japanese boy, anticipating another threat, looked up to the girl and glared, only for a few seconds later notice that it was nothing but a girl, a crippled one of that given the wheelchair.

"You…" Bothered and confused, he stood up to his feet, quickly ignoring the fallen prince, and realized something. The girl before him acted strange. Rather than trying to look, she tilted her head to present her ears instead of using the eyes. In fact, her eyes… they didn't seem to open or blink even as tears threatened to fall. It didn't take him long for him to realize why, "Wait a minute, you can't see? Are you... blind?" He questioned in a brief epiphany.

"Yes. You don't have to worry about me." Nunnally nodded sharply, her little body still shivering, "I can't do anything, I can't fight, I can't run away, so please!"

Understanding the implied request, the local boy froze on spot, "But, but that's..." He looked disturbed there, looking at the fallen prince before him and realizing his actions… It made him tremble in a gap, guilt making him look away frantically, "I'm sorry!" He blurted, dashing out of the storeroom like he was escaping of his crime, leaving the britannian sibling to recover alone.

Only silence followed briefly there...

"Lelouch, are you alright?" The crippled princess first called worriedly.

"I'm okay Nunnally… He didn't hurt me that bad." Came the fallen prince's reply. He didn't stood up from the ground however, the pain being a tid too much to bear...

"Who was him? It sounded like boy but..."

Lelouch pondered in moment, fitting what little he knew before speak out, "I think that was Suzaku Kururugi, the prime minister's son..." He affirmed with mild certainly, the said answer echoing in their heads as the rest of the day flowed, giving room for the sunset.

From there, the world froze and the sad expression of Emperor Lelouch revealed itself once more, his face looking down on his younger self and at the distant figure of a running Suzaku. There was no flair in his voice, no drama to display.

[_That's how Suzaku and I first met… Here after a brief fight. Quite, while I grew up surrounded by rivals and vassals, he would become my first real friend…_] Emperor Lelouch then looked up, sadness turning into a scowl, [..._And one day, my worst enemy..._]

* * *

The shift in mood was quite drastic. If the scene of Suzaku acting so aggressively did wonders to dismantle his gathered positive praises from his student friends, the last note that the grown up Lelouch who locked so distraught and disgusted when making his remark, it quickly sealed the deal, doing quite the job of removing the smiles from everyone's faces.

"Like I said, he made some very stupid choices in life..." Kalled repeated in repression, dragging a impression not from now but from many other things that she avoided saying.

As for Suzaku himself, his eyes lost color underneath the mask…

"(_Worst enemy huh..._)" He parroted in his mind. It is unknown if it's Lelouch's soul is the one actually speaking or if this is some weird memory/thought of him given life by this bizarre court, something meant to punch him down with the harshest of truths... He actually didn't bother to investigate that now that he thinks of it. Something to keep in mind later.

At any case, Suzaku kept wondering if that's what his friend lastly thought when he passed the mantle. Did Lelouch hated him? Did he respected him? Did he still thought of him as an friend in the very end? Truly, the possible answers scared the dead teenager. The sight of the ghost right there at the stage, scowl on his face, disturbed the man who donned the mask in ways he couldn't quite explain it.

"_Suzaku..._" But, as his depression had temporarily taken over, a gentle hand came over his gloved one. Nunnally returned the gesture of support, whispering so that only he could hear, "_Don't worry about it. They don't know… They don't know everything yet. Despite what you have done, you are a good friend. Never forget that._"

And with these words, the man under Zero's mask reflected shortly and nodded, gaining strength to wash his past, and remember what was worth in the end.

Time would pass evenly this time, letting everyone's shared dream end on a more passive, if not downer, note...

_**To be continued...**_


	4. Stage 0,516 - A Home in Japan

_Based on a Audio Drama of the name Stage 0.515 - The Uninvited Prince. And yes, it has the same name as the previous chapter, which can confuse people..._

**Stage 0.516 - A "Home" in Japan**

An car travels through the highway tunnels of a road, crossing the lights out to reach the open skies, where the view from the mountains were laid bare.

Inside, an imposing figure sat on the backseat with arms crossed to passively glance at the growing fields of the land, at the vast plantations of rice being tended by local farmers of the region, whose faces beared the proud and happy smiles of the Japanese. There were children in some places, playing on the dirt and mud, an sight so innocent and pure at glance that for many it should bring some semblance of relaxation and peace.

However, given by the remorseful reflection of an warrior's face on the car's glass window, the growing reluctance immediately made him look away.

"(_As expected, I'm unused to peace..._)" Frowning softly, the japanese veteran known as Kyoshiro Todoh sighed as he closed his eyes for a short meditation to calm himself. As of late, the man felt out of place in this new era of progress that was given to him. After many years of constant survival and direct conflict, the grown soldier found himself unable to lay down and rest without thinking of his deeds from war and the price that was paid to conquer this same peace he found himself in.

Looking beside him, the sleeping form of Chiba leaning on his shoulder, while admirable in beauty, it did no good to assure him of his deserved victories. Rather, it is the other way around. Todoh now felt in charge of a new responsibility altogether. An duty towards the sheer devotion of his now marriage bonded company. He had now to find the balance between his new duties with the constant emotions and feelings that surged on him, an experience that he had never ever had gone through…

"(_Peace, love and companionship… It's the likes of this that you've given up your life for our sake wasn't it, Lelouch vi Britannia?_)" He thought smiling sadly, "(_While I'm honored to be gifted with it, to receive this boon out from your bloodied hands, I now realize that I'm still indebted to you somehow. You played us all for fools..._)"

And truly, what a twist it was. An grand ploy to unify the world in a totalitarian hegemony where it was believed none would ever usurp it, only to be absolutely destroyed by the hands of the world renowned masked figure. The result? People's wishes and dreams given to them in a silver platter, the masses willing to an end to all the madness that soiled our existence in the unending wars...

It was been over ten months now and the last vestiges of the past destruction were now disappearing, giving in space for a better future in the people's hand. Indeed, Lelouch had played them for fools. He proved to be an more complex individual than anyone would have expected. An master manipulator, be it for better or worse.

Alas, praises aside, the last three days that passed proved to be an enlightening ordeal for the hawkish man. Todoh, like many others, never expected to have his nightly dreams to be replaced by some fancy, eerily display of the past in such fashion. The King's court proved to be as elusive as the mystery of geass had been, forces of power that could seemly influence minds and perceptions of those caught by it.

The last discussion at the U.F.N. conference among the upper echelons regarding this issue raised quite some alarms as the shared events witnessed in the dreams are proved to be truly real in some aspect. While the dreams are been fun and all, there are fears of an underhanded plot behind this grand stage to disrupt the world in some manner. And seeing that only the grand majority of the founders of the U.F.N were the ones affected in this weird dream kidnapping, some countermeasures took place and a decision has been put to an vote among the affected.

More knowledge was required, as well as the expertise to find some basic understanding of what they are dealing with. Thus, in the first priority of things, the search and capture of C.C became widespread through the countries. If there is anyone who knows this kind of thing better than anyone else it is her. Willing or not, she had to be apprehended.

Secondly, archaeologists and historians would work together to investigate any remnants knowledge of Geass culture that still exist in some form in the world, as in from the ruins that were left behind or through any artifact that bears that constant winged iconography vehemently present in its influence. It may take days for anything conclusive to be reported but it's an start.

And lastly, third, the nature of the dream was to be thoroughly investigated and inspected. This was proposed by Cornelia in first hand, who passed what little they've found in days past to haste things up. Aside the non-physical/abstract dream nature of it, it was also proposed that the members of the "jury" who accepted the invitation of the King's Court are to investigate the authenticity of the histories shown in the stage. See what does or doesn't correlate to the actual events in question.

Which leads to him, Todoh, being sent back to the Kururugi's Shrine, the location of yesterday's court stage for this very ordeal…

"(_What a mess. What do they think I'll find back there?_)" Questioned the man in principle. Right now, he had no doubts on what he had saw back there. History was exactly how it went. The prince arriving at Japan in cold reception. Simple as that. If there's truly something unusual to be said about the stage then it's the sheer amount of detail it revealed. But again, considering on from whose perspective it focused from, of course some things extra would be shown, such as the ending remark of how Suzaku and Lelouch first met, which looked as nothing but a taunt.

That said, Todoh at moment has little idea of what he was going to do. His arrival at the shrine is near and the only thing he can think through is what next mystery is going to be unveiled in this next night…

* * *

And speaking of unveiled mysteries, the dead Emperor Lelouch sought solace in dismantling memories that he left behind, such as his arrival at Japan being hasty molded. Quite, he didn't want to think about Suzaku, nor did he want to experience again those old days of the past, bright as they were, to preserve his feelings from entering into disarray.

People change, and with that, their beliefs and actions. To delve in the past like this was feels like an contradiction, an hypocrisy, to the one who calls himself Demon Emperor…

Thinking of that line, it can be presumed that Lelouch was having a hard time pondering away from the dilemma of his old friend. His mind kept wondering if he should think of that old Japanese heir as a friend or an enemy on the end of all things. Suzaku had bigger loyalties, that was true, and while one may consider that an virtue, the cost wrought from it angered the Dead Emperor time and time again as he weighed the consequences every time those same virtues had turned against him.

In short, forgiveness was unknown to Lelouch, especially after the things he himself has done...

"**Suzaku Kururugi… Your first friend, wrought by pity, bound by kindness.**" Commented the mad woman, finally choosing to interrupt his thoughts.

"No, You're wrong." He corrected, "It wasn't pity at all that we became friends. Rather, it was just his stubborn idealism, his sense of justice and duty, getting in the way." Expressed Lelouch, his eyes tightening, "Of all the things that childish man sought, these two core beliefs of his were the only things he never abandoned. Then again, allegiances are another matter entirely and Suzaku truly doesn't disappoint on that aspect."

"**I see. An treading path then, one that still ends in some manner of friendship... But how well did you know about your host back then in the first moments of your arrival?**"

"How well? Not much I suppose. Back as kids Suzaku was an pure nationalist, proud as every other Japanese that hated or feared Britannia. If I recall correctly, he was just was one of many who were unbearable at first. Constant curses, asserting dominance, petty abuses. The basic prejudice..."

"**So it relates to what you've said then?** **You did mention that your first days of exile were trying.**"

"Hmph. Are you going to make me repeat myself again and again?" Lelouch questioned, sensing a trend. He was getting annoyed about the triviality of this, not to mention the bartering.

"**This is your trial.**" The woman retorted plainly, "**Truth must be reviewed, the memories be seen and heard over and over for a proper judgment.**"

Facing that argument, the Demon Emperor sighed, "Frankly, I had expected more from a being such as yourself. Who knew death was followed by such long due process? " He joked, not showing any smile. Indeed, counting up the time he spent there from the very moment he died to now, this long judgement, which sound more like an interrogation more than anything, amounted to about three entire hours so far.

"**...**" Worst of all though, the thing who considered itself the collective consciousness of humanity didn't care one bit.

"Whatever… Yes, that's exactly what I meant back then. I don't have much to add." He affirmed out, trying to push on in whatever process his judge wants...

"**Very well. In this case, a different perspective shall gives us proper knowledge...**" The judging being declared.

"Hmm?" Arching an eyebrow, Lelouch briefly wondered what she meant that, only to notice that the world shifted on its own like it did before.

And this time, It wasn't him painting the scenario through the Thought Elevator...

* * *

As sunset smears the horizon, the jury convened, dreaming into conscience. The King's Court continues eluding all…

"You know, they could allow us to have some drinks and treats in here. This is practically an cinema in a dream form." Tamaki commented, stretching himself outwardly.

"Heh, If that was the case, then that woman would have done so from start..." Suggested Yoshitaka realistically.

"Maybe we just need to think it hard for something to pop up. This is our lucid dream after all right?" Minami added.

"Oh yes! I want eat and drink everything and never bother! Come on, can't we have some sake in here!?" Yelled Tamaki hoping to exert some rights out there.

To his unfortunate luck, his unheard wishes were denied…

Not that they were in vain theoretically speaking… the idea he sprout actually served as something to the more cautious members among the jury. Cornelia gazed at the outer edges of the floating ruins, inspecting the limits of their reach in the same way Sayoko had mentioned, testing the limits of it's existence, as to gauge it's reality.

"(_No exits, entrance or even lucid control… Are we truly in a dream?_)" Questioned the warrior princess, now delving into the wonders of consciousness transferring, a concept so far in fiction at moment that it remains unthinkable... So far, there little answers yet to be found.

"So Todoh and Chiba. Have you two reached the Shrine yet?" Kaguya asked, curious.

Looking at the two japan veterans however, something seemed wrong. Todoh and Chiba looked at each other for a second before answering, "Yes, we did, in a way. We were on the road through a whole day and night, but..." Hawkish man seemed disturbed.

"Because of the long travel, we slept at an different time from one another." Chiba complemented, "And as far as I remember, I'm pretty sure I-we're _still_ on the road at time."

"Except that is Impossible. We had long arrived at the Shrine. I just took a nap by myself at the evening _hours later_ after we arrived." Todoh concluded nervous as an minuscule sweat left him tense, "Something is wrong here, our memories and actions don't match. Chiba is supposed to be awake..."

"Oh… ooooh." Hearing this, following the discrepancies between the couple, something unique has been discovered.

"Interesting. So the court sessions are tied to an individual's sleep cycle…" Xingke proposed, thoughtful, "The earth's distance, different time zones, different memories upon waking… We should take notes of this. See if we can anticipate the stages in knowledge."

"Oh, I see… This is incredible! Isn't this practically some mental time travel on some scale?" Kaguya flared, excited at the prospect of this.

"Time travel?" Tianzi parroted, not quite understanding it.

"Not quite… But we would need to confirm it. Until then, we need to be careful, with this, and with her..." Warned out Xingke's advisor, Xianglin, drawing everyone's attention towards the stage where the warping form of the judge stared right at their general direction.

Not wanting to draw unwanted attention, the U.F.N. group just frowned shortly and quickly dispersed back to their places. Yet, as an unseen mistake, while they considered the dream entity to be the threat, they failed to notice another shade eavesdropping their whole conversation.

"(_Individual's sleep cycle huh..._)" Schneizel was loose nearby, smiling discreetly as the court session proceeded as usual…

"**With a new home, the Accused now had some refuge. Yet, just like his old place, he found no peace there. Met with contempt and disdain, he held his resolve strong, as shown in the memories of another...**"

* * *

**Stage 0.516 - A Home in Japan**

The world formed itself, with greenish leaves of old Japan breathing into life once more...

And there, at the edge of Kururugi's Shrine, in front of the Storehouse, the small visage of the Japanese heir, the prime minister's son, watched as some other kid's clothing was hung up in lines to dry out in the sun.

"(_Laundry... Laundry in my storeroom..._ _I had this place all to myself until this happened. Until he came. And now his laundry is flapping out there..._)" Suzaku scowled, observing the variety (or lack of thereof) of britannian clothes in flopping wardrobe, "(_They look like girl's clothes but for a boy... Unbelievable. Do all britannian wear clothes like that?_)"

* * *

"Oho~ We're hearing thoughts now?" Lloyd opened his mouth, intrigued, "I wonder how this can be..."

"Another geass phenomenon, perhaps?" Cecile suggested, also surprised to hear young Suzaku's mind.

"Hmm, no… It looks more like a mechanic of the dream. This is basically memory after all. But still, reading thoughts from the brain; Mind reading; Hmm..." Rakshata considered, reminiscing about something, "That kinda reminds me of something similar..."

"Something similar? (_To mind reading!?_) How?" Inquired the britannian assistant, instantly curious to hear the indian's scientific reasonings.

"Uhum... Well, the thought is there but it's more like synchronism and coordination actually, patterns matching in a applied field. If our thoughts and perceptions are nothing but sparks in the brain, then in theory it's possible to capture such patterns and replicate it, maybe even mold it, for a desired effect..." The indian explained, "If I recall correctly, back in the day, the EU was working with something of the kind in their military. A system that monitors and manages the brain patterns of it's knightmare pilots."

"Ah, The Brain Raid System! I've heard of it as well." Lloyd blurted, nodding to himself, "Truly, that is remarkable subject to speak about, in fact-"

"Hey, will you guys shut up? We're watching here!" Boasted Rivalz angry at behest of others.

Against that, the blue haired scientist was not amused...

* * *

Alas back to the brooding face of a youngster, Suzaku stares into the storeroom and the laundry before him to the points he's left seemly distracted...

"..."

"Mind getting out of the way?"

Hearing a voice on his back, the Japanese heir turned and saw _him_ standing there, the britannian prince, Lelouch vi Britannia. He've been living there on the Shrine for about a week now, "(_An uninvited guest… That's what father called him._)"

"I want to hung up Nunnally's wash too. If I don't hurry, the sun will start going down soon." The boy affirmed, explaining his intentions sternly while carrying a certain bowl full of wet sheets and clothing in his hands. His expression remains the same, one of fierce indifference.

"Erm..."

There was some hesitation from the Japanese Heir, something that the fallen prince interpreted oppressively, "Was I not supposed to hang them there? Or did you wanted something from me?" He challenged boldly.

"I don't want anything from you! I'm going to my training, why should I care what you do?" Yet, losing patience, Suzaku boasted hastily in response, reasoning himself to some entitled moral, "(_Yeah, that's right! He is the hostage and I'm the heir to the Kururugi's name. He has no right to even speak to me!_)"

Lelouch however just glared back at him, still intending to defy him directly. This made Suzaku so angry that he just couldn't help but depart, lest he succumbs to the temptation of beating him again. Then again, in some way, the young heir still felt that he kinda lost face there… It like there's something in the attitude of the prince that seems to haunt the boy down to his thoughts.

This mentality would follow him all the way to his deadly training…

* * *

"(_It's good to know His Majesty didn't lose heart despite everything..._)" Sayoko reflected, watching with praise at the competent display of her much younger master faithfully doing his duty, "(_He does looks cute when serious like that..._)"

Jeremiah on the other hand, "That little brat..." He was rather displeased with Suzaku's lack of respect to his now fallen prince. He vaguely turned his glare the now older frame of Zero and scowled, "Didn't they teach any manners among the Japanese? Master had no one back then, and even so, to act like this..."

"Hmm… I can't speak for my fellow kin, but as they mentioned yesterday, the fear of war weighted their shoulders heavily. We japanese know of hospitality but trust and respect doesn't come easily. Even we succumb to our instincts when faced with the unknown." Sayoko replied with dismissible smile.

"Well, they did became friends, didn't they?" Anya affirmed, with her trademark stoic face. She was fairly content to watch that whole ordeal as it is.

"Still..." Jeremiah however, faced with these arguments, had nothing to say. Apparently he was quite immersed in the memory of the past. Seeing his young master struggle did quite put him on edge in some sense...

* * *

The scene faded into a short obscurity, leaving only Suzaku's little form alone, taking a fighting stance as if to face some foe. His kata was sharp and straight, bound to muscle memory, as it should be. His face however, seemed vacant in expression...

"Argh!" Which quickly turned into shock as he was bashed right into the face for it, casting his body right into the ground, eyes pointed at the ceiling from the impact.

"What's wrong with you, Suzaku? You broke your concentration!" Shouted an voice in lecture. It was a man's tone, strong and steadfast, recognizable by the very jury audience as the stage warped into an large dojo room, occupied by two martial artists, young Suzaku and the ever frowning form of the hawk looming over him.

"Urgh… I'm sorry, Todoh-sensei... " Came the japanese boy's excuse, shaking his head to recompose, "(_I'm messing up. Where's my head at?_)" He berated himself. As Suzaku recalls it, he came to this dojo to continue his training section with his teacher, just as scheduled. But lately he was falling behind… and this all under the eyes of Todoh, a renown military soldier, one that is taking off his time on service to pass on personal martial arts training to him.

Truly, he couldn't fail him now...

"That's the fourth time today!" The warrior admonished, deducing forth, "Is it the Britannian prince? Something about him that's distracting you?"

"Why would I care about a weakling like that!?"

"Heh, you already had a fight with him huh? You're both about the same age. Don't you think it would be better to be friends?"

"With an ingrate like him? Never!" Rebuked the japanese heir, "My father tried to have someone help them but he won't accept it. We'd bring food right from the kitchen, and he wouldn't eat one bite!"

"Hm. Maybe he's afraid someone would poison him." Todoh reasoned, curious. He heard little of the prince as of late. Always down to his own thing, careful and distant.

"If my father wanted him dead, he would do it just straight out! He wouldn't use such cheap trick, only Britannians do that!" Suzaku affirmed.

Seeing the boy fuming in his words, the soldier could only shook his head, "Suzaku. I'm a professional soldier, but I'd still avoid a fight if I can." He advised, arms crossed.

Expectedly, the young heir was taken aback, "What? Why? You'd never lost to a Brit right? So what's the problem?" He questioned.

"Fighting takes a lot of effort even if you win. You'll be surprised in how lazy I am." Todoh explained smirking slightly to him.

* * *

And hearing that particular remark, young Suzaku was clearly not the only one who stood there confused for a second. Rather, the whole audience turned their heads on the focused veteran of same name…

"You, lazy?" Kallen broke the ice.

To which Todoh didn't even react much, "I stand by what I said." He declared, remaining stoic to it all. Yet, the seriousness of his affirmation caused everyone to sweatdrop slightly.

* * *

At any case, young Suzaku figured in his head that there was something strange going on as of late. These little things happening around him seemed to stack up to the point even he could see it. The rare and sad smile of his sensei for once, did quite the spark...

"(_Now that I think of it, Father has been spending so much time in Tokyo lately that he's hardly ever home. I wonder if something is going on..._)" The boy considered, before being told to get into stance one more. The training would continue, either he reflected on it or not. Unfortunately for him and his sensei however, such distractions continued to torment the kid and disturb his martial form all the way through the incoming night...

By the time he finished his training, young Suzaku felt very uneasy to it all. This was clearly shown on his face as the world changed to show him walking back through some lengthy streets on the town at the foot of the mountain. At first, just wanted some time to figure what's bothering him when such path curiously lead him to the source of his doubts, the very same path where Lelouch was found on the way.

And by the looks of it, the britannian prince was under some commotion of sort, being beaten up by some kids from around the area...

"_This is Japan! You got that!?_", "_Stay out of our country, you stupid Brit!_"

The offending kids cursed aloud, kicking fiercely at their defenseless prey. Wincing in pain, little Lelouch was found there, just curled there on the ground, taking it all through, a sight which made Suzaku wonder in realization, "(_If he's that weak, then why he'd go down into town?_)" He was not welcome here after all...

"_Come on, fight back!_" , "_Aren't you're supposed to be a prince!?_"

Staring dumbfounded, the young heir looked around and noticed the couple of black guard suits standing at the side, watching the spectacle instead of acting, something that shocked Suzaku on spot…

"(_Why?_)"

"_What are you, a girl? A momma's boy?_" , "_Stand up and fight back!_"

Seeing the bullies continue their assault, unopposed, slowly but surely infuriated the prime minister's son for some reason. Lelouch didn't seem keen to stop the blows himself, so Suzaku figured he couldn't just stand there and let that happen. His pride and honor wouldn't allow it, "Stop it!" And thus, before he could think of it, he was already lunging into action.

The kids looked up, saw him, and instantly became pale, immediately stopping what they were doing to run away like cowards. Apparently they recognized him for who he was, a clear figure authority of the Kururugi's name.

And speaking of authority...

"Why didn't you do something to help him?! You're bodyguards, aren't you?!" Suzaku quickly turned to interrogate the men on lookout. Given how they often seem to tail the foreign prince wherever he went, surely they were supposed to protect him, right?

They however didn't say word, merely staring at him without reaction.

"...They're watchmen. Not bodyguards..." Came an response from fallen prince himself, bruised and injured, but still glaring strong from his spot to answer, "They're just supposed to make sure I don't run away or try kill myself... That's why they're here." He explained, only casting even more shock and disbelief to his counterpart.

"But that's..." Truly, to the young heir, such reality was inconceivable.

* * *

"Wow okay, you guys weren't kidding about the whole prejudice thing." Gino commented, looking honestly disturbed, "For one second I thought Suzaku wouldn't move to help him there." He added. Kinda hard to see such views from his old buddy's kindred from the Round.

"Well, I guess he WASN'T a total prick back then..." Kallen nodded, scowling, "Still a fucking idiot, but not a senseless bully at very least..."

"Heh, good thing he got over beating everyone." Rivalz affirmed pondering, drawing everyone's eyes, "I mean, remember how our school acted against him? With the curses, the pranks and stuff... Imagine Suzaku fighting back against that. He would have been called into a delinquent overnight."

"Hmph, that's if he wasn't expelled in first place. Fucking Britannian privilege..."

Hearing it all, Milly considered their comments and pouted, "Hmm, I guess we got lucky doing it hidden I suppose. More, underhanded... Judging behind his back, smearing and painting his uniforms..." The more she pointed out the mistakes, the more she tilted her head and sighed.

"We weren't any better than them, aren't we…?" Nina affirmed, looking down. She knows her sins very well back then, more than anyone there...

And of course, the others would agree to her comment, which allowed the man himself ponder for a while, "(_Is that so?_)" Suzaku tried to weight on what his old friends considered, "(_Even so, that is no excuse, I was part of the cycle of hatred. I fermented the seeds that would sprout death and despair. In the end, It doesn't change anything._)"

Nunnally on the other hand was once more tense, lost in a mix of horrified and angry watching her brother suffer, a surprising self-awareness of her part now that she can see with her eyes. She isn't sure however if she's angry at the bullies who did assault her brother, or at herself for her sheer helplessness to be more active at his side back then...

"Prejudice huh…" Villeta uttered in reflection by herself, "Such bad roots we rose from. We both hated and unwelcomed each other."

At her side, Ohgi looked conflicted, "That was in the past. We left that behind us." He then grabbed her hand and sought comfort, "We cannot let that affect us now, our marriage is proof of that." He declared, gently holding his wife's belly which had long recovered after her miraculous birth, marking a sign of hope and life.

"Of course." She smiled fondly.

* * *

Either way, Little Lelouch seemed to be visibly annoyed despite being genuinely saved. He glared at the japanese heir and lashed out, "Why did you help me like that? You know I'm Britannian."

Young Suzaku blinked for a second there before a frown maked his face, "I hate Britannia, but… Bullies picking on a weakling? I hate that even more!" He retorted with same vigor and determination as his rival.

Hearing that, the fallen prince then looked down and smiled sadly, "Weakling huh..." His tone seemed solemn and lonely, sporting an empty chuckle as he considered, "Hehe... Guess I am..."

Alas, the japanese heir yet again misunderstood the gestures, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing..."

"Don't say nothing, you just laughed!"

"I'm laughing at myself, not you." Explained Lelouch losing his demure of confidence, "Self-derision, a loser's laugh, that's all. It's a way to protect your heart." That said, the fallen prince then stood up and brushed himself off, kneeling down to collect what he dropped. Beneath him was some crushed vegetables and a fish pot, held by a tattered plastic.

"(_Is that what he wanted to protect?_)" Suzaku wondered, now seeing it close.

"Can you move? You're standing on my reward card." Lelouch addressed him once more, his tone slightly restored, "I just need four more points and I get a discount." He added, already seeing the confusion forming on Kururugi's face.

"Oh..." Blinking twice, the japanese heir obliged absently, allowing the britannian prince to pick up the aforementioned card that is now had a dirty footprint smeared on it. From what he could see, foreigner boy treated it as something precious, cleaning it and guarding carefully among it's clothes, like it is the only treasure he has left...

Truly, Suzaku had quite the hard time understanding the figure before him, "(_A reward card? But he's a prince!_)" He stared, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. To think that this prince would bend over to protect a mere piece of paper, some vegetables and coin change like this, "(_That's pathetic!_)" Suzaku judged, frowning in anger, yet feeling pity for the brit.

He couldn't help but to challenge this, "It's your own fault! If you know you're weak, why do you have to buy your food in town!?" He demanded from his opponent, "Quit being so stubborn and eat the food we give you, It's not poisoned!"

"I know..." Lelouch rebuked shortly.

"Then why? Just eat it!"

"I will not!" The Britannian boasted back, startling Suzaku, "I will not because I'll live! I'll live by my own strength! I won't to live on the charity of others any longer, not me, and not Nunnally!" He said with determination on voice, defiant to all.

"..." Against that, the young japanese heir simply had no response. Or at least, no response he could possibly think to say on the spot...

"..." This left the two of them, looking at each other for the next second, before the prince turned around and started to limp away, leaving only an confused Suzaku, who in a way, found himself seemly speechless…

"(_Live by your own strength? But you can't even fight on your own! If I didn't came here, no one would stop those bullies! What's the hell he's thinking?_)" The heir questioned, with his little mind trying to reason some logic into this. This was such complicated argument for him that he couldn't understand why he got so irritated and ashamed to see the britannian prince go like that. No answer he thought made sense there, no answer comfortable for him to accept and shout.

It was only later that he would realize what those feelings meant: His sense of respect, conflicting with the respect and pity for his soon-be-friend in the days ahead.

But that day, has yet a long time to come...

* * *

Thus, the stage then undid itself, fading to obscurity as the audience absorbed the experience of both Lelouch and Suzaku convictions grinding in attrition, the mettle between a determined yet ingrate resolve against honorable yet stubborn pride…

Kallen for instance, emphasised, "(_Giving up charity and comfort to fight for scraps… I know that all too well, Lelouch._)" She passed on, smiling sadly at the sight of it. Though it little compares to her struggle as a freedom fighter, the ace knight knew it took effort to stand up to your beliefs despite the easily handed life she had from heritage.

"That Lulu… So stubborn. I'm really curious to see how these two will become friends now." Milly commented before turning to face a certain Empress, "I assume you have to do something with it Nuna."

Nunnally then blinked for a second and then nodded, "Well, yes. I was the link between the two. Making them spoil me as much as possible did the job." She affirmed, expressing some cheer to her friends. Yet, within her heart secretly, recalling how much her brother sacrificed for her sake there did little to assure her self-esteem. And considering this is after their early days in Britannia, these were still considered the good times.

Worse things would come. Of that, Nunnally was sure...

"(_What a pointless conclusion..._)" Schneizel thought, almost yawning when watching everything. He felt that he had nothing to learn here. If anything though, while he found futile seeing his little brother being badly received by those he one day would come to both fight for and against with, the change in perspective on tonight's session did at least rose an eyebrow.

"(_Why didn't Lelouch show up this time?_)" He questioned, thinking of the ghost of the Demon Emperor that always narrated some part of the tale until now. Apparently, he has not shown himself directly this time, something to keep note of, "(_Does it mean we might see the point of view of others? Hmm..._)" Schneizel considering this hypothesis in his shifting puzzle shortly before thinking of something else.

Meanwhile, the U.F.N dignitaries convened again, with Kaguya cheerfully facing the man among Japan's most acclaimed battle-couple who are on the right place to move forward their little plan, "So, Todoh-san, what do you think? Was the past like that?"

"Yes… Accurate as usual. Too accurate If had to say it." Answered the man, arms crossing.

"Then it should be easy for your inspection to pick up something amiss." Xingke added pensive, "We shall move on as planned."

"What about Zero? Shouldn't he know about this?" Inquired the teenage politician, tilting her head in the same pleading tone she always use, "I know we planned this behind his back for assurance but still..."

The two veteran warriors then looked at each other and Todoh shook his head, "No. Not now..."

"Though it's clear who he is behind the mask, his current silence, the shown familiarity with this dream, as well as geass influence in general all proves him to be an wildcard." The chinese prodigy explained, "No, we shall keep this between ourselves for now. Let's maintain discretion and keep appearances until the right moment comes."

And so, as the dream dismantled, with the heads of today's world peace last glancing at the back visage of the masked vigilante, suspecting him of an knowledge he actually knows little of. Such is the thoughts of some in the jury, planning to scheme as they finally noticed the warping dissonance between reality and the dream sessions.

Yet, little they know that sometimes, dreams are hard to recall, "_**Don't lose your heads yet...The show has barely started.**_" Whispered the caretaker of spacetime, smiling softly into the void.

_**To be continued...**_


	5. Stage 0,521 - Nunnally Vanished

_Based on the Audio Drama of same name..._

**Stage 0.521 - Nunnally Vanished**

Amidst the woods on top of the mountains, a humble abode stood preserved under the gusts of wind in a cloudy sky. Inside, the sleek wooden floor creaks under step of who walks through, echoing briefly through the piercing silence inward. The paper walls block the sunlight leaving only a silhouette of the bystander until a door frame slides open, revealing the face of a steadfast swordswoman facing outside.

Chiba, the last of the Four Holy Swords of the old JLF, breathes the pure air of the mountains and bask in the comfortable winds of the weather around the so respected Kururugi Shrine. Though refreshing indeed, her face remained fierce, wrought with tension and conflict as she looks back at the room she just came from, the room where her beloved, Todoh, now sleeps.

These last nights had left her disturbed, cautious, and angry, truly restless in mind despite the comfort her body received from the dreams experienced. To think that the soul of the Demon Emperor came back to haunt them after almost an year since his demise surely put the Holy Swordswoman on edge.

Floating ruins, bending stages, the presence of old allies and enemies together in one room, all connected by conflict against the one foe who dominated the world within his grasp… Indeed, who else cannot see the plain trap that was set for them all? And that's not to mention the way they have been brought there, their very minds being afflicted by some similar, if not the same, curse that once controlled them out.

"(_Geass!_)" Chiba spat, frowning heavily.

There was no other explanation for it. Both heads and scientists knowledgeable of the subject in hand already suspect the dreaded influence upon them and are moving pieces against it. However, with little assurance for solution being anywhere near, an creeping suspect grows from each stage session that passes.

Zero called it an judgement. An trial long overdue for the now deceased Demon. He acted as if the event was expected and even considered it safe, announcing it for everyone to hear. Truly, it baffled Chiba as to why they didn't just arrested the masked vigilante and interrogated him straight about the subject in hand. Then again, she could speculate, not that it helped with the growing fears and suspicions.

Todoh-sama and General Commander Xingke were quick to curb any reckless actions on the U.F.N. meeting, deducing that it was too dangerous to act while our souls, the heads of today's world government and military strength, could very well be under control of some foreign and unknown entity. In other words, subtlety was necessary, as is any intelligence they could gather to confer these dream sessions.

Alas, as far as Chiba was aware, everything fits through for now. Both the surroundings and the events that had once past, matched in truth with what Todoh-sama remembered. Storehouse, the stairs, the base of the mountain and the streets of the town below… It is all well preserved, a feat of Japan engineering and prowess to culture and history. Unfortunately however, there was little clue to find here as everything from 9 years ago were cleaned.

"(_...Yet we can't give up. We have find something, anything, so we can finish this farce._ _The Demon's past is irrelevant. His legacy must be vanquished before his curse end us all._)" The Holy Swordswoman considered with determination. Safe to say, Chiba is willing to get dirty for the sake of current peace. As an warrior herself, she doesn't not fear losing her life to accomplish any worth result.

However, on the other side, she can see that now she has much to lose right now compared to how it was back when Britannia reigned. And of everything there is, her people, her country, her life and personal honor… only the loss of one thing makes her worry the most...

"(_I hope you are doing the right thing, Todoh-sama. If anything happens to you..._)" The blade in her hand shimmers, the edge shining. To Chiba, she sees troubled times with this strange King's Court going on, to the point that she can't bear stand around to enjoy the weather for much longer. Her beloved is vulnerable in his sleep. She needs to be at his side to protect him somehow.

Beyond that, the Holy Swordswoman wonders what will come from Todoh's dreams right now...

* * *

Meanwhile, what was once an impatient Lelouch holding his chin on the chair an hour ago, now stood an rather intrigued Emperor after the experiencing Suzaku's point of view on materialized form. Seeing how he could not only hear his friend's thoughts, but also learning of his private training did capture his interest.

"(_As expected, such childish morals..._)" He judged.

If there was one thing Lelouch could praise Suzaku for is that despite his attitude he did try understand his struggle. It must have been a hard task though since he, like him himself, lived in some manner of comfort carrying the Kururugi's name. To Lelouch, charity was an anathema. He believes that there is a price in everything, with only effort being the thing with real value to have. After all, something given freely is something worthless.

"**I see… Then from the very roots of your existence, personal independence became your true goal. To own the world through your hands, through your own effort and power. An acceptable trait for an King.**"

"Hmph! The fact that my life was stolen from me since young served as an lesson. What goes around, comes around. If you take something from someone, expect something to be taken from you. This can be applied to everything... " Added Lelouch confronting his judge.

"**Yet, isn't that what led you to your own end? To own and control the whole world, only to pay the price for that power with your life and lose everything?**" The creepy woman inquired.

The Demon Emperor, thinking of his deeds, smiled selfishly, "Yes. Yes indeed..." He retorted, "I offered the world my beautiful hegemony of peace and order. And yet, what I was given is naught but an certain death. Perhaps the price I paid for it through the wars was too much… Like karma I suppose."

"**...**"

Lelouch then frowned once more, clicking his tongue, "Tch! And to think Suzaku has the gall to call me ingrate..." He cursed visibly, "I gave him- them, everything, and this is how they repay me!?"

Listening to his words, the collective woman for the first time narrowed her eyes to him, "**Perjury and theatrics won't lead you anywhere, Accursed One. Not against us.**"

Though slightly surprised, the Dead Emperor didn't change however, "Oh? Is that so? Well guess what, I am not lying!" He rebuked fiercely, "Believe me or see me through, the fact is that from beginning to end, it was I who was wronged at! My life was a lie, a mask plastered in my face. Reality had stripped me to the minimal needs while I held to whatever beliefs I had left! If there is anything I truly deserve is the peace that I never had!"

The confession that came out of his mouth came far more passionate than he wanted… Lelouch felt quite compelled to speak his heart out. He knew that his core beliefs, his emotions, his values and actions all contradicted each other, yet somehow, deep amidst this complex maelstrom that is his conscience, he couldn't just leave out what he truly desired in the end.

And that went against his very plans, against the Zero Requiem, against the very world he sought for his sister… It is a selfish desire of his own...

"**Oh?**"

"!?"

Alas, by the time Lelouch recomposed enough to see his own mistake, he saw the woman figure before him smiling again, a smug of victory over him, an sight that forced the Demon Emperor to grit his teeth in a mix of anger and frustration once more.

"(_This thing is playing with me and I fell for it again!_)" He realized disturbed, gripping the handle of his chair tightly.

"**Interesting… I suppose this shows that just like young Suzaku had felt, you also doesn't understand what you are really feeling.**" Affirmed the caretaker of spacetime against a glaring Lelouch, "**Like him, you locked your heart away behind logic and principles, leaving your emotions behind to serve only as your fuel to drive your goal, never bothering to learn or let them out.**"

"Grh! So what of it? What is the point then?" The Demon Emperor demanded, seeking his dignity back.

"**The point is, you are no different from any other Tyrant we've judged...**" The judge declared, resuming her cold outlook, simple and stoic at glance, but heavy and endearing to confront at, "**Now, we have to understand what gears your very being, as in, what makes you tick; what makes you react; what makes you bond; and what makes you feel what you feel...**"

"..." Once more, Lelouch found himself sweating in anxiousness, "(_Where this will go however?_)"

"**The sight continues. The truth lies within the memory of another still...**" It decided.

And once more the world molded forth...

* * *

Cold atmosphere of the ruins encroached the skins of the dreamers who attend as jury there. And after seeing the same faces over and over by now, an small sense of familiarity reigned among the crowd, with everyone already expecting an follow up of Lelouch's old days.

"So, are we really going to watch Lelouch's whole life step by step?" Rivalz wondered, taking his seat.

"Eh, I don't think so… We getting some skips here and there. You know, weeks of passage, months of travel." Milly pointed out, "My guess is that they just show us some important bits and such. The names are an pretty good indication."

"Stage..." Whispered Nina, "That ghost woman titles them like that. That sound like a procedural process of something."

"Meh, whatever it is, I do find it interesting~" Gino added, laidback as usual.

"Hmm..." Rivalz however, stil tilting the head in wonder, looked across the seats, and spots the black cloak of the masked vigilante, "Could he know more though?" He inquired, pointing out at Zero.

The whole Student Council stares out and only Kallen sports an glare, "Who knows? I do doubt it..." Questions the redhead, cautious in instance. At this point, the ace of the black knights was unsure of what to do. At first thought, knowing the real truth behind the man under the mask gave her some _minor_ assurance that all of this isn't another bullshit geass manipulation or the like. Or at least it's not as deceptive and malicious as it seems.

Then again Kallen herself can't tell or discern anything with clarity when it comes to that. Even now the doubts of Lelouch's actions upon her mind still flustered her heart deeply. It's hard to possibly imagine what this whole ordeal is about really… For all she knows, all this King's Court thing could be only an circus in the end. A plot to meddle with their minds.

"(_But why though?_)" She wonders. That is indeed the question everyone wishes to know...

"Oh well, to the next stage then!" Came the voice of her blue haired friend, pointing outwardly.

There, the cold judge beckons her presence…

"**The Accursed fights with resolve, carrying with his an small hope as support. However, once that hope is taken away from him. His resolve falls apart...**"

* * *

**Stage 0.521 - Nunnally Vanished**

The scene begins with birds chirping in the light sun sky bright over the trees. Young Suzaku once more found himself pondering about his not-so-welcomed guests, who live in the storeroom at distance…

"(_It has been a month since that prince came now…_)" He recalled, remembering what much he observed from the princeling, "(_Lelouch vi Britannia…_)" In his memory, the form of the little Britannian came into view. It is shows he taking care of his little sister, doing all manner of chores while not accepting help from anyone else, (_Cooking, laundry, cleaning... He does all of it, even the shopping. He knows that if he goes in the town, he'll get beat up by the japanese boys. Still, he goes there everyday, with the same defiant look on his face, even though he's weak, even though he's Britannian…_)

Distracted by these thoughts, young Suzaku headed towards the warehouse of his family's Shrine, going there with a half-conscious intention to play by himself and let his mind wander. He did this out of habit, reaching there only to remember again that such place isn't his anymore…

"(_Oh, right. It is their home now... __How that will last?_)" He wondered, stopping on his track.

"Lelouch?"

"!?" Startled sudden, Suzaku was surprised by an soft voice. He turned towards it, and there she was, Lelouch's little sister, in her wheelchair, looking at his direction yet blind to his being.

"Uh… Who's there? I can feel someone there." Nunnally searched, with shyness and concern in her tone as she pointed her ears to hear.

"Erm… It's-It's me, Suzaku." Introduced the Japanese Heir, revealing himself.

"S-Suzaku?" Yet, once recognizing his name, the little girl seemed to get flustered for a second. Her hands trembling for a second before reaching the wheels of her chair. Then, in a dart she "ran", trailing her wheelchair away as if to escape as quickly as she can from him.

* * *

"H-hey, he isn't going to do anything right? Right!?" Rivalz started once more, now looking scared, "I-I mean, we know Suzaku is good and all but..." After seeing the last stages, the man they once met as friends wasn't as friendly as he was back on school.

"Nah, he isn't like that." Gino dismissed, confidently, "You guys should have a bit more faith on him."

"(_Says the guy who doubted him last time..._)" Everyone thought in rebuke.

"I don't know. With an title like that, I'm not so hopeful." Kallen added, holding deep in her doubt and grudge. Indeed, nothing good can come from such stage name. In fact, just looking at the desperation of the young crippled girl on scene cast an bad feeling.

"Don't worry everyone!"

Yet, before anyone could remark, Nunnally herself pronounced out loud, "If this is what I think it is, it will be okay." She smiled, having an epiphany of what's seen.

And in the center of it all, Zero kept his eternal vigil in silence, face frowning softly under mask. He actually knew where this scene was going. It's another of his fumbled attempts of approach, something that ends brightful in the end but still reprehensible in his eyes.

As for the rest of the crowd, many arched their eyebrows curious…

* * *

"Hold on! About last time-"

The boy catches up to her, wishing only to talk, but fear was clearly plastered in Nunnally's face, "A-are you going to hit me too?" She accursed, stuttering shorty before trying to look strong, "I won't fight back but you know it doesn't matter, cause you can beat me up but you can't beat my heart!"

Such words baffled Suzaku on spot, "What are you-"

"**What are you doing!?**"

However, shouting even louder, a third voice interrupted him. The young heir saw it and recognized, "Lelouch!"

"Lelouch?" That brought hope and relief for little Nunnally there, her brother had returned!

And ignoring the Japanese outright, the Britannian prince was quick to address his sister directly, caring for her being instantly as he inspected her skin for some kind of bruise or affliction, "Are you alright Nunnally? Did he do anything to you!?"

"No, I just..." Misunderstood, Suzaku sought to defend himself but couldn't find the right words to say. This situation was derailing out of control too quickly.

In fact, Lelouch glared at him right after, not with arrogance this time but with pure anger, spewing threat from his eyes alone, "You waited until I was away from the house! Typical Japanese!" He judged with venom.

His words hurt and in reflex the young heir reacted angrily, "What did you say, you brit thief!?" To him, it was threat. The Britannian was seeking a fight, so he acted accordingly.

Little Lelouch however knew he couldn't win, not in a fight of fists at least, "Thief? Is that what your father calls Britannians?"

"You say you're not?"

In short, the two kids challenged each other there, but the Britannian prince had the his tongue lashing stronger, "No, you're not wrong..." He admitted the accusation, surprising his opponent, "That's exactly what Britannia is like. Acts of aggression backed by military force; high-handed diplomacy; elitism… No country is worse than we are."

"You..." Faced with this declaration, young Suzaku didn't even know how to react. What kind of enemy berates himself before his foe?

"But you know what? Japan isn't very different." Lelouch continued.

"What?"

"You play the Chinese Federation against Britannia, a dirty game for your own profit; you practice dual diplomacy with the sakuradite mines; you exploit the poor third world nations..." The fallen prince declared, as if presenting the crimes of someone, of him almost, in every point, "So, yeah, when it comes to down and dirty, Japan is right there."

"Liar! Japan isn't like that!" And Suzaku, unable to refute with any integrity, can only shout wroth. Without thinking, he raised his fists to get physical, not even bothering to get in martial stance, only to stop on track when he glared at Lelouch's eyes there.

The princeling just looked at him, never changing his expression, as if almost expecting it, accepting the injustice of it...

"Going to hit me?" He announces, already reading him through, "Yeah, that's just what a Britannian would do..."

"Shut up!" Suzaku sparked furious, filled with intent yet strained in indecision. He hated Lelouch's fancy way of talking. The brit may be smart, but the way he was so stuck up about it just drove the Japanese heir mad, "(_He's just a kid! He's just a hostage! He's just a Britannian!_)" He mentally reasoned, his mind desperate for a proper upperhand in this discussion.

Yet, when it came down to it, Suzaku knew that in a way, he had lost this fight already. He couldn't act like an bully against someone so weak. It was against his honor. But even so, met in this conflict, the young heir somehow felt like he was thrown off across the floor, beaten down completely.

And his opponent only used words…

* * *

"Haha~ What a total loss!" Lloyd mocked with glowing mirth, "I knew Suzaku wasn't the best demagogue, but to lose like this... I guess being a devicer and a great martial artist was his only forte after all." He declared without concern, ignoring the threatening aura of an certain brooding vigilante nearby.

"He was completely outmatched..." Cecile uttered in a flabbergasted agreement. Geass or not, Lelouch proved to be truly charismatic and intelligence even as a child.

"(_Of course, that's only expected._)" Mentally thought Schneizel in his discreet and unseen manner, "(_A knight has its limitations and weaknesses. Suzaku can be easily outmaneuvered in some ways, especially with such circumstances…_)" He pointed out to no one in particular, merely taking notes and reminding himself of what he was dealing with given his own situation.

Alas, elsewhere, an old Japanese trio shared similar stern faces.

"Heh, ain't the brat a feisty one?" Tamaki commented in rare display of praise.

"Yeah. Kinda hard to believe he can say all of that that with a straight face." Nodded Yoshitaka glinting.

"That's the demon for ya, a snake since birth." Minami affirmed lastly, showing only discomfort.

Everyone seemed to react in their own way, agreeing or disagreeing to such words until a little Chinese girl asked the unexpected...

"Xingke, did the Japanese played with us?"

Tianzi, the young Empress of China, being rather observant of both Lelouch and Suzaku's differences in the past, she didn't miss what the fallen prince had mentioned in his arguments. She knew what he meant there and considering what her current occupation as a representative is, those particular lines about China brought her some curiosity.

Her question however, raised some unwanted tensions between the two parties involved. The Japanese, caught out guard, merely awaited the response from the prodigal general, wondering where this would go…

"Yes, my Empress, they did." Answered Xingke with a honest smile, "Though it wasn't anything that bad. Like us, they were only worried about their own home and their people's safety. As you've learned, Britannia was rather… misguided, back then." He added, speaking so diplomatically as to not pass any unwanted impression and blatantly diminish the seriousness of the question.

"Oh..."

There were some stares here and there, but no one wanted to alienate each other on grounds of the past. Or at least, not in the presence of two Empresses and one Prime Minister.

"That's right Jiang! Remember that very evil man in the golden throne? The one who shouted at little Lelouch?" Kaguya boasted brightly, completely ignoring the room's mood, "He was very bad indeed. We from Japan were far too small to protect ourselves alone back then. So we needed the Federation's help~" She worded it simply to the girl, who nodded in response, unaware of the not-so-white lies that she just absorbed.

The sharp edge of politics was deadly in Kaguya's speech, and Xianglin, who's at Tianzi's side frowned, disapproving of Sumeragi's act there, "(_Such bold manipulation..._) How shameless..." She muttered in a whisper.

The insult went unnoticed, doing little to undo the remaining tension between the two parties. The only understanding they had now was to merely continues with the stage session...

* * *

And truly, once more the young Kururugi found himself evading his Britannian opponent in angry nerves, confused, lost and unable to think. Deep down Suzaku wanted to prove him wrong, to undo these lies and offences thrown at the banner of Japan. But, to do that, he had to know what he's dealing with. He had to learn about those fanciful concepts he is constantly faced with.

To that end, the young heir sought to join his father in his grown-up meetings...

"...They're after the sakuradite mining rights. That much is plainly clear."

"Genbu, I know the election is near but aren't you a little overconfident with this?"

"The talks are proceeding with the EU, there are no problems."

Among the two men that conversed with each other, young Suzaku listened close. Apparently, It is common for important people to have dinner at the Kururugi Home. Old Kirihara was visiting that day and from what he knew of him, the elder is really rich, owning hundreds of companies.

Alas, Suzaku could only half follow what the grown-ups were talking about, but his father assured there was something he could learn from this...

"So, you're announcing the engagement after the general election?" Elder Kirihara asked.

"Considering the feelings of the Britannian people, it's better that way." Genbu answered firmly.

The two men then went pondering, their faces expressing reflection as Suzaku got curious, "Father, who is getting engaged?" He asked innocently.

"I am, to the Britannian Princess." Came the affirmation with a tone of finality.

Blinking, the boy reasoned and then got shocked, "T-that girl in the wheelchair?" He questioned, thinking of the only Britannian princess he knows of.

Sensing his son's distress, Genbu quickly added, "Suzaku, this may be called marriage but it's about politics, understand that."

Not that it did much to dismiss the boy's confusion, leaving the elder Kirihara to explain, "Someone, a Japanese leader, must marry a Britannian of royal blood as a symbol for our two nations."

"..." And considering that this came from the mouth of his betters, this was indeed of clear importance to learn. However, the reality of what was just learned just went over Suzaku's head there, "(_Someone's going to get married to that little girl? And it's going to be my father?_)" Safe to say, he was quite flabbergast.

"It can't be a member of the Sumeragi Clan. Such thing would only be appropriate for the Kururugi family..." Concluded his father Genbu continuing to face Kirihara in their conversation. His tone suggested an intention of negotiation, an clear affirmation of one's stance.

Kirihara glanced at him, taking a sip of his tea before nodding, "Hmm… The six houses will have not objections to that point."

Dreading the decision of the grown-ups, Suzaku felt compelled to intervene, "Father, if it can be anyone who's Japanese, maybe I-"

"-Suzaku, the one you will marry has already been chosen." Came the instant injection against the young Japanese heir, "I let you listen to this conversation because it concerns your future. You're not allowed to speak out of turn!" Genbu lectured, admonishing his own child.

Suzaku then quickly clams up, sitting formally once more, "Yes, father..."

However, the knowledge of this affair still haunted the kid deeply. Inwardly, he couldn't find himself agreeing with has been just said now. The image of his father and that blind girl Nunnally, together in marriage... it reflected an bad feeling for the Japanese heir, one that he couldn't even picture in clarity. This was a thought that would follow him all the way to the end of this conversation…

* * *

"Wow wow wow, wait a second! Is that guy serious?" Rivalz shouted, understandably incredulous to process what he just learned. With him, many others in the crowd also showed their tight faced reactions. He and the Student Council looked at Nunnally, who also looked solemn, and then glanced over the Japanese bunch.

"That Nunnally, with the old minister there?" Gino uttered, everyone's thoughts among the Student Council.

"Hmph. Politics indeed." Schneizel spoke out loud for the first time since days, "It is as Lelouch said, Britannia isn't the only who plays dirty it seems."

"Wait wait! Don't compare us to your fucking schemes!" Retorted Tamaki in rebuke. He expected his fellow patriots to aide him there, but instead, they stood silent.

In fact, it was Cornelia who spoke her point, "Hmph... If I recall correctly _brother_, it was you who thought of a similar plot with the Chinese Federation."

"And you are correct sister, but that doesn't change what we've just seen here. Japan played its hand exactly as intended to avoid the bloodshed of an war. Dirty or not, that was only way to do it and none of you can deny it." He rebutted with a firm response, his logical resolve clear.

"..."

Crushing his marble table with punch, Jeremiah couldn't help himself, "To use Her Majesty as such bargaining tool..." He whispered, his face fuming in a eye-twitching anger, "I guess this is what His fallen Majesty must have feared, to have his sister being manipulated behind his back, possibly against their very will! Guh!"

He was passionate, unexpectedly so considering his allegiances… But it did have an effect.

"No, It can't be… That Prime Minister?" And looking distraught at such thought, Ohgi was unable to think of any word. He tried to place himself in Genbu's place and picture the scenario his predecessor faced to reach his conclusion. Yet, faced with the merest glimpse of the political situation, the new prime minister found himself unable to make the choice, not without any grand reluctance.

"This is… not unexpected." Todoh affirms, after much deliberation in bearing the glares of the Britannians, "I knew that Genbu would forsake his honor to preserve his own country… I knew of this, but how could I judge him? As much as I don't want to admit it, Schneizel is correct. Political marriage is but a small price to pay compared to whatever consequences that the war could have brought. He did it for our sake, thinking of Japan..."

"Urgh… It is a uncomfortable truth though. We don't have any excuses." Kaguya agreed with a unpleasant expression, "To avoid direct war, the prime minister was willing to do everything."

"Yet in the end, it was all for naught." Xingke concluded, summarizing with a grim look, "We've been through this. We all did what we had to do. There's no point in judging each other's choice now."

Such was the harsh reality presented there. Everyone knew this, but they still bore the guilt. What little comfort or duty they could bear now was to simply move on with the facts and contemplate the remaining session...

* * *

*Knock, Knock, Knock!*

Forming the clearly recognizable visage of the storehouse at the dark night, Young Suzaku is shown knocking the front door, desperate for attention in his guest's wooden abode…

"Lelouch!" He called loudly, "Lelouch!"

It had been a hard decision for him. After learning the truth, the young heir felt he couldn't just stay down and do nothing. Even now his mind was racing, questioning many things at once, "(_Did Lelouch and his sister know about this? About her marrying my father?_)" Yet, at same time, Suzaku was conflicted in his stance there, torn between his sense of patriotism and his moral principles infringed, "(_Why do I need to tell them? This is about nations dealing with nations. It is a grownup thing! Kids like us can't do anything about it!_)"

Alas, despite every thought, the young heir wanted to confront the Britannian prince. He needed to know what the fallen prince knew…

"Lelouch, I'm coming in!" Yet, met with no answer, Suzaku just pushed the wooden frame open and let himself inside, only to find an empty room devoid of the siblings, "He's not here? At a time like this!?"

The prince was gone, and so was Nunnally. Knowing this, the young heir ran from the storehouse and searched all over the Kururugi Shrine. The bathhouse, the main building, the office, the tori gate, the stairs… Everywhere really. And at the last location, at the long stairs leading up to the shrine half way down, he spotted a derelict wheelchair collapsed on the ground…

"What..." There was only one person in the Shrine from who it belonged to, "(_Its his sister's..._)"

"_Nunnally!_"

Suddenly though, just as he had found a clue, a voice echoed desperately in the distance…

"Nunnally is that you!?"

"Lelouch!" Suzaku spotted him as he came out of the forest nearly out of breath, his cheeks bright with tracks of tears. The Britannian prince looked defeated and pathetic, something the Japanese heir never saw before. This boy who never changed his defiant expression even when the Japanese kids beating him now looked more frail than ever.

"!? You..."

"Lelouch, what happened? Is she missing?" Asked Suzaku concerned, ignoring the sprung up expression hesitation of the Britannian.

As expected, he didn't seem to trust him, "It's none of your business!"

Not that the young heir cared for a bit, "She's gone, isn't she?"

"And what if she is!?"

"Well, we can look for her together."

"I don't want your help! Not from a Japanese..." Little Lelouch declared, eyes twitching against Suzaku's firm serious ones. It seems however that his insults alone wouldn't dissuade him, "You hate Britannians right? So just… Just leave me alone..."

"(_No… I can't._)" The Japanese heir judged inwardly, not moving from his spot.

"Your father is going to get mad at you if he finds out you're helping an Britannian." Continued the fallen prince, hoping to just avoid dealing with the headache. This made Suzaku tighten his eyes, "I don't need you, this is a problem between me and my sister, a Britannian business, so you Japanese can stay out of it."

And with that, the young heir lost his patience, "Don't give me that!" Suzaku boasted angrily, "I don't care if this is your business or not! I don't care one bit! I'll search for her, either you want or not!"

Such response surprised Little Lelouch there, another rare sight of his expressions, "You..."

"I'm Suzaku Kururugi, an honorable son of Japan! I don't need a reason to save who I want to save or do what I want to do!"

It was vigorous declaration, a show of pride merged in morals. The two boys, both foreign to one another, faced in a brief silence. It was for just a short moment, just one moment, in that single look that they now seemed acknowledge each other right there. Such small understanding is what became framed there, the scene freezing like a painting on the museum, history manifested in art, a memory of the past being preserved.

It is then, that the boys for the first time decided to work together...

* * *

Or so, the session seemed to demonstrate in its fading lights.

"Aw dang it! It's over already!?" Gino sprouted, sad as the stage dismantled, "Just as they got some progress..."

"Hmm… I see this is what you're talking about eh Nuna?" Milly asked to the one Empress who is her close friend.

"Yup, the start of it." Nunnally answered with mirth, "Maybe it will reveal everything tomorrow..."

And as they spoke, Nina silently imagined the sight of the two opposite kids working together in her mind. Now that she thought with an more mature head, her conscience weighted when watching Suzaku's blatant prejudice against Britannians over the last days. It reminded her of her own actions but in a more... blunt, and direct way. In fact, where young Suzaku showed distaste and contempt, she expressed fear and rejection. It may have due her own traumatic experiences yes, but still inexcusable...

Nina then glanced at the visage of Zero, who looked at the dreaming sky, basking in the sunset of the horizon, thinking, "(_I'm not better than you, am I?_)" Her thoughts could not be heard, for no words were said, a trait shared by another who also looking upon the lost son of Japan...

"(_Honorable huh..._)" Todoh inspected the man behind the mask and lamented the choices his former student have gone through. Indeed, seeing how bad Suzaku has fallen since his growing ages, the hawkish leader of the four holy swords was unsure if he should either condemn or respect him. In a way, given how he had chosen his redemption, Todoh was in the line to consider the latter, not that he can't deny the price that it cost, "(_It is a sad tragedy all of it. The boys, the war, the outcome…_)"

Alas, despite his brooding concerns, the man himself actually felt slightly relieved, "(_The first step…_)" Suzaku was somewhat glad to see the very tip of what would lead to he becoming friends with Lelouch. After so many bumpy trials at the beginning, for once he could felt proud for acting on his morals rather his principles back there. Now, if he could had a little more of proper sense later on, many terrible things could have been avoided...

"(_Then again, I was just innocent and untested, ignorant of reality, unlike Lelouch who suffered the worst of it..._)" Suzaku considered in retrospect, "(_What could I have done if I knew more?_)".

With answer impossible to find, the session would end regardless of his wishes, another pleasant revelation for another pleasant night...

_**To be continued...**_


	6. Stage 0,522 - The Song of Secret Base

_Based on the Audio Drama of same name..._

**Stage 0.522 - The Song of the Secret Base**

Somewhere near the coast of a extensive beach, where the vast ocean shone under the heating sun of China's southern seas, massive edges of an metallic contraption firmly stand amidst the calm salt waters. This metal beam lined up alongside many others, sprouting out from a much large base at the center to hold the surface of the gigantic foundation floating above the sea. And up there, roads of airports marked the lines for the planes to enter and lift off, landing in and out many notorious passengers on this unique island whose banners brand the yellow sigil of an white dove held by three blue circles in the center.

This is the Horai Island, the now accepted Seat of Power for the the U.F.N Supreme Council. It's here that the many diplomats, emissaries, dignitaries, leaders and politicians of every country on the international coalition discuss and vote any grand decisions regarding their state of affairs in whole.

And it's here in the borders of this artificial island that a happy teenager sat down carelessly to enjoy the ocean winds by herself, viewing the beauty of nature while thinking of the past, focusing on the steps that led her there…

"_Ms. Chairwoman, don't go too far, you will fall off!_" Shouted some non-important assistant lingering around at the back already frantic at her behavior.

Yet ignoring them straight, Kaguya didn't care one bit, not now that she finally had some free time. She just wanted to breathe some air and feel the breeze in her skin for a while, to just sit down and let the salt waters touch her feet. So much has changed lately that she rarely got the chance to enjoy this one gift of peace that she has been graced with after so much bloodshed.

Even now, there is always some concern to be discussed with someone at hand. Damage control, resource management, trade deals, public relations, economic influx… It's all very time consuming to handle, sparing little time for some personal space. Such is the job of the Chairwoman of the U.F.N Supreme Council, an giant democratic mayhem of political affairs: Long, bureaucratic, but at very least, safe and peaceful to bear with, a dream coming true in some way...

"(_You really left our hands full eh, Lelouch?_)" She reflected smiling in reference for a second before pouting softly, "(_That's not how you should treat one of your wives though! Tricking everyone, moving ahead without us, giving us such high priced peace… It feels sad… Sad and lonely..._)"

Truly, Kaguya held Lelouch in high respect. Although she wants to believe she had played some grand part in his journey somewhere in the middle, it can't be denied that she actually served as detriment and obstacles than contrary. The plays in his betrayal, the omission of his death to the supreme council, and later on, marching armies against him at end… Quite, everything just depressed the young politician deeply.

Truth is, compared to the likes of Kallen or C.C, Kaguya felt more like a tertiary ally at best and just another nuisance at worse, leaving her distant and small on the scale of things. Indeed, she even feels the fear of failure oppressing her mood, trying her conscience as to not objectively fall off to that it feels like to be cornered over and over in the schemes of life.

"(..._But I must not fall, right?_)" She judged herself, forcing through yet another smile. Yes, someone had to do it. Someone like her has to deal with this immense power vacuum and fallout that came after the Demon Emperor's death. This was the duty given to her by Zero, his one legacy to the world, "(_And I have to make it last..._)"

Thus, Kaguya nodded to herself, having accepted her role long before she dared to betray a dear friend once again. She thought this struggle would last for a lifetime in a way, handling the boring affairs of politics until it came to an end. However, for all the struggles and misgivings now, thinking of the winding steps of her journey into fighting for freedom and peace, this whole ordeal with the King's Court actually brought a new exciting shift in her life. One that was surely unexpected but nonetheless welcomed.

Quite, Kaguya was, admittedly, unusually intrigued to find herself into such dream conundrum. While geass is an dreaded subject known by all in the U.F.N cadre, the prospect of peeking into history sparked her girlish interests quite highly. Rare were the times she ever gossiped about the truth behind anyone's actions these days and now that something like this showed up, having the truth being displayed in such theatrical form quickly played a hand in her taste for drama and heroic fairy-tale.

It didn't take much of a thought for Kaguya to consider and hope that maybe this is the way everyone should know about Lelouch's end goal some day. Maybe this is how his friends, allies and family should know about what price he paid, what image he created without shattering the peace of the world itself. Either it will work or not, she doesn't know. That will be decided in time, through a ploy that, once again, she has no hand into. But, until then, the prospect to see how everything began cannot be ignored, which is why even while concerns and considerations are in play for countermeasure, Kaguya decided she was going to enjoy this King's Court in full. She is going to enjoy seeing what kind of steps Lelouch crossed, and what reactions will his acquaintances shall have. She wants to empathize with his choices, to see his emotions, to hear his mind and know his secrets, things that an proper wife should have know about her beloved.

"(_I can't wait to see it~_)" She thought, now getting cheerful again at the touch of her cheeks.

"_Ms. Chairwoman! The commission is about to begin! We can't delay it any longer!_"

Alas, until then, she has to contend with the boringness of life… The young politician then turned around and saw her yelling employers from the council requesting for her presence once more, "_Oh great… Job calls me…_" She last uttered pouting slight before glancing at the blowing seas, "(_I have to go, Lelouch._)"

If only night came faster just now...

* * *

Another hour passes and at the call of his name, the Demon Emperor looked tired of it all, his face bearing an minor frown at what he saw there.

Truly, the sight of Suzaku's… benevolence, to put it fancy, leaves Lelouch annoyed, and since he's cursed with the presence of this womanly creature for the time moment, he had no choice but to present his reasoning about the memory shown right then and there.

"You're showing me the mind of a child." He affirmed, leaning his chin on his fist, "There's no conclusion to be drawn here other than the obvious."

Yet the woman as usual wasn't fazed, "**If it was so obvious, then we wouldn't be speaking as of now.**" She countered, "**To presume to know everything is the mark of the arrogant, who is no blinder than everyone else.**"

"..." Against the jab, Lelouch replies in kind with no reaction.

"**We are all children in the face of the universe Accursed One, naught but a seed of ignorance, the speck of the world, parasites who are unable to handle the stresses of infinity. Whereas we struggle to understand those around us, we often fall into the same mistakes of old, always falling into the same abyss of absolution and extremism, always letting history repeat…** **And such conclusion always begins with the same words you've uttered just now...**" Came the long unwanted lecture.

"Hmph, and I suppose that is what you're trying me to teach me? To never make assumptions? To admit that I know nothing like Plato did? Are you seriously trying to drag me into an philosophical reflection just now?" Lelouch questioned, glinting his eyes a bit tighter.

"**Indeed I am.**"

"Tch… And? Do Enlighten me oh so wise one~ Indulge me in your knowledge..." He spat forefront, mocking in clear tone. At this point, the Fallen Emperor was starting to anticipate the collective creature, trying to actively play along in what he now believes is a sham of judgement.

However, in a curious manner, the woman just shook her head and obliged, "**In the mists of time, Suzaku fell into the same mistakes as you did. What you called prejudice in him is just a result of his ignorance, his presumption of superiority, and his blindness of japan itself...**" She responded, glanced at the now formed frame of the last stage, of the two youngsters starting at each other, "**And yet, after being met with an clouding obstacle, he sought to do what you've abandoned in life even after countless victories… He sought to understand.**"

"Understand what?"

"**You.**" She pointed out.

"(_Me?_) So it's sympathy then?" Lelouch considered, arching eyebrows in a fake awestruck, "What? Isn't apathy the mark of a tyrant? Truly, even someone such as you knows where this will end. I may know nothing even now but my comment stands, there's no conclusion to be drawn here other than the obvious..."

"**Then blind still you shall remain even though I insist to help in opening your eyes…**"

"..."

"**Have you forgotten your own goals, Accused One?**" Retorted the judge, revealing her next ploy. "**Desperation and despair has set you so keen on seeking the future that you're now forsaking the past, distorting it to something unrecognizable...**"

Seeing what she is going through, Lelouch frowned. He chose his words carefully, not forsaking his hidden conviction, "The past is to be forgotten..."

"**So you say; So you preach; So you lie…**" She accused with a tone of disappointment, "**If that is what you believe, then you must reap what you sow...**"

"...Just what you want from me then?"

"**You have one chance, young Tyrant. One chance, to look within yourself and recover what you've abandoned...**" Came the offer, an unusual choice of words, "**Either you'll understand it or not, it will depend on you...**"

"..."

The implication of it was clear, she is either mentioning punishment or consequences but the depth of it was outside Lelouch's understanding... Glancing at the frozen stage, thoughts flowed from Dead Emperor's mind. He kept his composure, working his patience to sort her words but again, looking at his past self, he's not sure what to look for in this vault of memories...

* * *

Arriving at the Court, the jury was surprised to see framing picture of the last night's stage still in display before them. This was an unusual change from the past sessions, which draw a mix of reactions, from the curious assumption of a direct continuity to wary speculations about the shift in status quo on the dream as the paranoia continues.

"Hmm… You said last time this was just a start right, Your Majesty?" Gino asked, speaking shamelessly before the wheel-bound Empress.

"Oh? Yes, that's right." Nunnally peeked, surprised, "Also, you don't have to act so formal, Gino. We're in the same student council, so we're practically friends."

"Oho, friends with the highest of royalty~ I like that!"

"Manners Weinberg, don't get any ideas now." Warned Cornelia, locking eyes with him, like a bear watching her cub.

"Yes, my Lord!" The man straightened with a salute before cheerfully crowding himself among the other students with his discipline quickly forgotten.

From that act, Cornelia watched him with a glance of masked envy. The former noble is as carefree and bright-spirited as the words go, making friends everywhere he went. The loss of nobility didn't hit too much for the former knight of round it seems. The good graces of company he preserved ended serving him well at the end of the war, a far cry compared to her own oppressive renown of today's age.

"My lady..."

Not that it matters of course… She has her beloved Guilford to contend with, "What?"

"I bring failure. None of our escorts have spotted any breach or infiltration in your sleep quarters. If the words of Jeremiah still carry any truth in them, our _kidnapper_ is either too cunning or too powerful to be caught. She's completely out of reach and left no trails..." He reported with a grim expression.

"Hmm, we're already wrapped under her fingers then..." Affirmed the warrior princess expressing the same, "The scientists have noticed no changes in your sleep patterns, meaning we're still at loss as to what all of this is..."

"What of the U.F.N? Have they found something?"

"No. Nothing new." She replied with disdain. Truly, much experimentation was done after Chiba and Todoh managed to uncover something about the King's Court sleep cycle. As far as they had managed to find out, all of this lucid dreaming is completely disconnected with reality as they know it. There's no physical correlation, no "enemy" interference, no material incident, no brain anomaly, nothing.

"What will we do then?" Guilford inquired, visibly unnerved. The unknownness of their situation remains a looming threat creeping his thoughts.

"All we can do now, lay low and observe..." Cornelia suggests as the world begin to change, her eyes glaring at the rewinding manifestation of her little demonic sibling.

Oddly enough, the mysterious woman didn't make her appearance this time...

* * *

**Stage 0.522 - The Song of the Secret Base**

"...I'm Suzaku Kururugi, an honorable son of Japan, I don't need a reason to save who I want to save or do what I want to do!"

The session indeed comes back to this moment once more, a replay of the framed picture gaining life as to continue the tale of yesterday. And soon after the declaration, after the brief expression of acknowledgement, Little Lelouch had his shocked face softening, eyes sparkling with hope for the merest second before reality settled back in.

"You… You're just being defiant!" He immediately shouted, returning to reason.

"I'll go look for her because I want to, I dare you to stop me!" Suzaku challenged the fallen prince, his stubbornness assuming over.

Lelouch however wouldn't have any of it, "Hold it! Protecting Nunnally is MY responsibility! I don't let anyone else do it, no adult and no Japanese! I'm the only who-"

"Shut up! You can't make a selfish decision like that! You think you can do everything by yourself!? You're so arrogant!" They glared at each other and bickered, falling into discord, a bleak image compared to the impression left yesterday...

* * *

"Oh Lelouch, acting so zealously all the time. Nice to see him being put down in a peg~" Milly giggled in a somber smile, "It must have been hard to have such an overprotective brother right eh, Nuna?"

Nunnally glanced at the blond reporter and shook the head, "Eh, it's not that bad. I was kinda scared too of everything back then. Big Brother's attention helped me through a lot."

"How lovely~"

"Meh, that's just normal though, you two were children." Rivalz added having hands in dismissal, "Still, I do think Lelouch sheltered you a bit too much. You've got to get out and enjoy the world more."

"Oh? And what do you have in mind?" Asked Gino curious.

The blue waiter then smirked in devious manner, perking his eyebrows as he held his chin, "Well, there is _some _places we could go hehe~" He suggested, thinking of shining places and shrouded rooms, those with the sound of money flowing high...

"Don't even think about it, Rivalz!" Kallen warned, already imagining his intentions, "You're not bringing Nunnally anywhere near those wolves' dens." She set the foot down, remembering the unpleasant times she had in one of such places. To remember of _that_ outfit of all things...

"Oh come on Kallen! The world has changed. Those places don't have that kind of business anymore." Played the blue bar waiter still mischievous, "In fact, you can join us if you want. We can go play together and gain some prizes in the end. You can even protect Nunnally if something happens."

"Urgh..." The redhead frowned, hesitant.

"Um, guys?" Nina called upon then, drawing their attention, "I think we should go back to watch the session." Considering how their discussion froze the stage, a single glance at the rest of the crowd revealed how they awaited rather impatiently.

"Oh, right… Sorry." Quickly enough, the student council resigned themselves...

* * *

But nevertheless, with that little scene, young Suzaku vanished in the forest, leaving an frowning prince behind with his hand outstretched in the void, his fancy words failing to influence the Japanese heir…

"(_You selfish and high-handed... Urgh!_)" Little Lelouch was baffled. He had been challenged and completely ignored, disregarded in his charge. It took a while for him to recompose and think of his priorities, "(_Still, right now, I should be a little thankful to him I guess..._)" He considered on second thought.

Without options then, the search the resumed...

"Nunnally, where are you!? Answer me! It's Lelouch!" The Britannian prince ran through the forest in sheer desperation. In his mind, the fate of his crippled sister dreaded him to no end. Nunnally's legs were weak, she shouldn't have gone far! But even so, after losing himself out in the green forest maze that surrounds the Kururugi Shrine, the fear was really getting the better of him.

Alas, to his fortune, Lelouch eventually ran into something, a dark silhouette of a person, sitting down on the path ahead, surprising the boy on spot...

"(_Someone's here? So deep in the forest?_)" Thought the little prince anxious in hope, "Nunnally, is that you?"

"No..." Came the immediate response, brunt in tone yet soft in pitch.

Unnerved, Lelouch cleared his eyes in a blink to see her. It wasn't his sister, it was a woman, sitting quietly in a blending sunflower kimono. However, since her back was facing him while the darkness of the night obscured all, the young prince couldn't see her face clearly. As far as he could perceive, she seemed young in form and her hair was long, having this bright tone of green…

* * *

There was no mistake of it, the jury's reaction was immediate...

"Is that..." Kallen was the first to speak as the most of the crowd gasped, "C.C!?"

And upon mention of the name, the everyone's wish to know exactly what was shown to them made the stage freeze on spot, vaguely revealing what little Lelouch himself had saw it, the silhouette of the certain immortal, basked in the darkness.

"That's… That's... How?" Cecile questioned what she was seeing, not being able to fathom the logic of it, "She was back in the Palace… She was practically His Majesty's age! How this can be?"

"Hmm, now this is certainly a wonder, isn't it? The Emperor's accomplice, here in the past… What a curious discovery." Added Lloyd showing a serious face for once, reasoning his mind while scratching the chin.

"Well, considering everything we've been through in this cesspit of nonsense this shouldn't be so surprising." Rakshata commented, taking an extra dose of smoking from her kiseru pipe, the euforia numbing her thoughts.

"(_The Emperor's Accomplice?_)" Milly, ever being the good gossiper- Erm, reporter, that she is, curiosity took over the possible rumor/scoop, "Hold on Lloyd, what's this all about? Who is she?" She immediately questioned her noble acquaintance.

"That, my dear, is C.C" Answered the blue scientist nonchalant.

"C-what now?" Rivalz came in next confused.

"C.C" Kallen affirmed, drawing the student council's attention, "She's Lelou- er, Zero's… Friend. They've been together since... Well, it's complicated." She stated, stuttering in her words in indecision to say or not say the truth when a single glare from the looming shadow of Suzaku masked behind her friends made her shut down. Kallen understood the implication and just left it there, looking somber and detached.

"Complicated huh? Sounds like a big secret. Is she the reason why we're here then?" Gino asks, taking it for granted, "The folks in here have been yelling all over since all of this started." He pointed out towards the agitanting crowd.

"They really seem to know about her." Nina mentioned looking at her former employer, Schneizel who showed recognition just as everybody else.

And indeed, glancing at the rest of the jury, the shock of what they saw only continued...

"_I don't understand… C.C? She was there before?_" Whispered Nunnally in utter confusion. She looked upon her looming guardian for an answer.

Zero tensed slightly at her touch, "_**It would seen so...**_" He replied indifferently in posture while underneath the mask a frown made itself present, "(_That Witch! Was she part of Lelouch's life since that age? Could it mean she involved him with geass since back then!? Dammit! What's the meaning of this!?_)" Suzaku was increasingly disconcerted. The appearance of C.C raised many questions, all of which didn't mean well when remembering what he himself went through in the C. World...

"This… This can't be…" Ohgi was flabbergast. He turned to look at Zero and then at his comrades, "You're all seeing this right!?"

"Yes. This is an unexpected revelation…" Todoh frowned, arms crossing tight. He looked clearly bothered.

"Hey, isn't that Zero's Mistress there? What's going on?" Inquired Tamaki, who is only now making sense of things. He was thoroughly ignored.

"Truly, this shows how much we've been missing." Xingke affirmed upright, "If this is the truth, then the roots of the Emperor's madness seems much deeper than we've imagined."

"What does this mean, my Lord? Is she really what I think it is?" Xiaglin sought to know, her mind reaching an frightening conclusion.

"The possibility of that is…"

"Hmm, once again we're shown that everything is possible when it comes to geass~" Kaguya complemented, unusually cheerful, "Never thought I learn a secret like this so soon though, this is so intriguing!" She added excitedly in contrast to the appealing shock around her.

"Aren't we missing a bigger concern here!? If that… thing, has been around since the dawn of everything, then how long has she been wrapping this up?" Suggested Chiba loudly in her reasoning, "That Zero, The Demon Emperor, even the oldest of us on the war... are we truly safe from her schemes?"

The crowd murmured, heads taking into considered what was said. Safe to say, the conclusions weren't getting good.

"Villetta Nu." Cornelia first called, directly addressing the said woman like an commanding officer to a subordinate, "You've mentioned before that you were part of the OSI in charge of chasing that woman. Did you know about this?"

The Britannian wife then straightened herself as all eyes shifted, "Not totally. When I was recruited, they only taught me that C.C was a vital subject of uttermost secret, a live experiment involving geass. There was no other report of her abilities beside her apparent mind twisting and body regeneration." Villetta revealed, recalling her job before glancing back at the stage, "Records of her movement in Japan were strict and scarce. If they knew she was there back then, I wouldn't know, nor would I be allowed to…"

And at such statement, the discussion continued all while an certain eavesdropping prince listened, "(_All in due reason of course. Even among royalty, few were ever allowed to learn the true nature of Code-R._)" Schneizel considered, remembering what little he knew about the so called geass project, "(_Still I wonder, is this what you were looking for, Father? Were you seeking the secret of immortality from this creature's body? Hmph. How quaint… While your methods were naught but a blunt and brute smokescreen covering the whole world, I'll admit this is a surprising discovery…_)"

"How about you, Zero? Care to give a word?" Cornelia addressed next, eyes glaring at the masked vigilante, "You're in this stench much deeper than any of us. She was your companion after all. Tell us what you know, now!"

Suzaku has attentive to their wild speculations. He knew that he would be questioned on that matter, so he had the answer ready, courtesy of Lelouch's advising records…

"**There's nothing else to say about her that you don't already know. C.C was my accomplice during my revolution, simple as that. We shared both a contract and knew some of each other's secret, so I had no choice but work to keep her close, lest my identity be spilled.**" He affirmed with conviction, "**Then again, I thought I had everything in hand about that woman. Aside all the geass powers, seeing this stage has proven me wrong...**"

His answer, while convincing, didn't seem to appease the warrior princess however, "Don't give me that crap! Am I supposed to believe you aren't hiding anything vital!?" She interrogated aggressively.

"**You aren't supposed to believe anything, Cornelia. The choice is yours to do so. My knowledge of C.C is as bland it can get.**" Retorted Zero bluntly, "**I'll say this though, she has not the power you all dread. I've confirmed this much. She is not an threat, not to us, not to our lives nor to the peaceful future we uphold now.** (_Or at least I hope so…_)" He stated with hidden anxiousness.

Silence then installed itself among the jury, with ideas floating here there until a voice spoke out...

"I still have qualms about this…" Guilford, who stood beside his liege, stepped out into the view, "Zero's words may be questionable but what about those who eagerly stood by the Demon's side?" He mentioned, pointing at a certain trio on an opposite corner.

All eyes landed on Anya, Sayoko and more importantly, Jeremiah, whom all glared back with confusion, seclusion and confronting defiance respectively...

"I know nothing about her..." Confessed the young former knight of the round, her words as honest as it can get from the soft tone.

"Perhaps not, but there's no denying of your loyalty is there, Jeremiah Gottwald? Or should I call you, Orange?" Guilford taunted his target.

Pressured, the man flinched, making the certain ninja maid beside him worry, "_Jeremiah._" Sayoko whispers forth, fearing what he would reveal. This is as critical as it can get.

"_Worry not young lady, his will stands…_" He assured her first subtly before assuming stance, "I have nothing to say to you, whelp!" He boasted with vigor, bold in confidence, "His Majesty's mistress was just one few allowed to stay by his side. Her personal secrets were not mine to know. Whatever it is they have delved on I did not have the right to know. I'm not a cur that would spy or even less suspect his own master..."

That answer then seemed to baffle Cornelia's aide in turn, "You traitor, how can you still be loyal to that monster even after what he did!?" The man judged froth, angrily slamming the marble desk before him.

"Hmph! I am no traitor, Guilford, I am but the most loyal knight of all of Britannia! I carry with me the most valuable will imaginable and I'll follow it to the very end. You and no else here will change that." Declared the orange cyborg forthright, crossing his arms defiantly as to face any opponent, "Now, instead of wasting time challenging me, why don't we continue where we've left off? This is her you're all looking into after all." He pointed out motioning towards the stage.

Angry glances were exchanged between him and the crowd but none voiced their discontent. Curious were the eyes of those who didn't knew C.C's persona while the rest just expressed bitterness at the appearance of this one woman way back in the past.

Just what was she doing there? That was the question...

* * *

And little Lelouch was about to find out...

"Excuse me but, did you happen to see a girl around here? She has long chestnut colored hair; she's disabled in her legs, and she's blind..." The Britannian prince first inquires with clarity. The listening woman leaned her ear to listen but didn't answer outright after several seconds, "Uh, Miss?"

"She wasn't come this way..." Came the words after the insistence.

"I see..." This left Lelouch bitter there but he didn't show it outright, "Uh, you're not from the Kururugi Shrine are you?" He asked next, just to change the subject.

Up till now, the little prince had long memorized the faces of the staff he met, everyone that he saw permanent in the shrine. Therefore, seeing someone he doesn't recall straightly made him question her nature. After all, what's an outsider doing in this forest? Was she getting herbs and plants to eat? Was she an lost soul?

(_Or, is she an assassin?_) The youngster grimaced in his many speculations.

But then, as if reading him through, "Don't worry... I'm not your enemy." She vaguely blurted out, startling the kid on spot, "I was just asked to come here and keep an eye into things..." The mysterious woman explained.

That however only brought more questions, "Keep an eye on? Who are you?" Interrogated Lelouch exasperated, only to be ignored as the woman looked up to the sky, still refusing to show her face. And on cue to her act, wet droplets feel over the two of them, presumably from the clouds above...

"It's raining..." She simply said.

That then actually made the prince frown in worry, "(_Rain!? Now of all times… Nunnally will get soaked. I've got to hurry and find her fast!_)" He considered, not exactly forgetting his true objective. He had to think quickly, "Miss, I don't have much time, so I'll get right to the point- Huh?" Yet, when he turned to face his company, the woman in the sunflower kimono had vanished, gone just when he took a moment to look up in the rain clouds...

* * *

"Aw she didn't show her face! Gosh dang it…" Milly complained as if missing an good scoop. Just is this person whom everyone relates to Lelouch!?

"Nice vanishing act though." Gino praised in admiration, "It should be hard to run on those japan dresses."

Beside him, an certain blue bar waiter ogled, "Speaking of kimono, did you see that curve? Nice and round…" He commented sprout an interested smile.

"Shut up, Rivalz." Cut off Kallen, only making him laugh. Her mind however was elsewhere, "(_So they didn't actually know each other yet… That's good, I guess? Hmm…_)" She thought, somewhat relieved.

And she wasn't the only one feeling that way, "(_No bizarre interaction. No geass yet. Maybe I was too paranoid._") Considered Suzaku breathing his stress away, ("_Still, she was asked to watch over things in the shrine. I suppose Lady Marianne is the behind it. Either she or the previous Emperor. Maybe V.V as well. Those selfish villains… I wonder how far they would go with that nefarious plan... Just how far C.C was along with it? I really need to find her..._)"

Glancing back at the rest of the jury, the eyes of interest spread with everyone having a piece at how they would find the immortal witch and strip her of the secrets...

* * *

Alas, back at the stage, Little Lelouch was left dumbstruck by the vanishing woman...

"(_Who was she?_)" He wondered, still confused and cautious, "(_She said she'd been asked to come but-_)" The young prince stood there, reasoning about his mysterious encounter when a distinct sound amongst the rain reached his ears, "(_That voice… It's Nunnally! It's soft and distant, but it's definitely hers!_)"

Lelouch didn't think twice. He ran towards the sound. There is no way he had mistaken it, his sister was doing something, a song he guessed, to which she seemed to be trying to sing. And she wasn't alone… Her voice was in sync with another tone, a much clearer one.

This realization made the prince's heart to beat quicker, "(_There's someone with her… But who!?_)" His mind worked furiously right there. At first thought, the answer seemed rather obvious, not that he wanted to admit it, "(_Could it be?_)"

Disgruntled, Lelouch pushed himself further on the path, crossing the earth that had long turned into mud by now, smearing his pristine clothes with dirt as he ran, guided only by Nunnally's singing. Along the way, the situation was becoming clearer to him, something that actually surprised him to hear it...

"(_Nunnally is laughing..._)" He judged the sound, slightly shocked, "(_She hadn't laugh once since the night our mother had died… Why now?_)" This left the kid somewhat disoriented.

But, finally, at the edge of his vision, the Britannian prince found what he was long looking for. There was a light shining very low from the trunk of some tree. It was a candle, guarded in lantern, illuminating the forms of Nunnally and it's wielder, the very son of Japan himself.

"Lelouch!"

"Suzaku..." There, the Japanese heir called him. He seemed to come from beneath the ground, or to be more precise, he came out from a hole dug into the ground. Apparently, someone decided to carve a rather deep entrance right into a tree's overgrown roots, creating something akin to a mini-cave.

"Over here, Nunnally is here too!" He invited, presenting himself rather friendly out of sudden. This was something new to the Britannian...

"Big Brother?"

Not that it bothered him now, "Nunnally!" He just set his eyes on his sister and let the relief flow, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine!" The bright girl responded with eager innocence. She was down in the hole, peeking her ears around the corner next to Suzaku, "I'm sorry Lelouch, I slept and fell in here. I guess I got knocked out."

"In this hole?"

"It's my secret base." Suzaku stated, looking proud.

And Nunnally vouched for him, "It's really neat! He says he has food and weapons too." However, the way she spoke, carrying this cheerful tone in her voice alongside with the glowing smile… It mystified Lelouch into both awe and disbelief.

"Nunnally, you were laughing just now..." He pointed it out, almost like a question.

"Oh? Yeah."

"But, you haven't laughed in a long time."

"Well, it's because Suzaku was laughing." Explained the simple girl, "He was laughing so loud and sounded so happy I couldn't help but laugh too."

"Laughing?" Still dumbfounded, he looked at Suzaku and imagined what this boy, this usually selfish and crude being that he had ever known him to be, could have done to enlight Nunnally's mood. He couldn't fathom it.

"Haven't you noticed, Lelouch? You're always serious. You haven't laughed once since I met you." Suzaku mentioned just smiling sadly at him. The way he spoke sympathetically too...

This gave the fallen prince an epiphany right there, "(_Nunnally wasn't the only one who had stopped laughing… So had I._)" He realized, glancing in between the two before him as the answer made itself clear, "(_I see, so that's how it is..._)"

"Lelouch, why don't you come into Suzaku's secret base too? It's still raining outside, isn't it?" Nunnally suggested, sensing the increased humidity in her skin. She already can picture her brother soaked to no end from where he's standing.

Lelouch however just expressed somber outlook in his face. He had barely noticed the rain at this point…

"(_I lost to him..._)" He mentally reflected, "(_He found Nunnally instead of me. I couldn't make her laugh but he could, this one Japanese guy…_)" And after some consideration, he regained his breath, "(_Still, he did find Nunnally and taken cared of her. I have to show my gratitude, to say "Thank You"..._)"

"Uh, Lelouch!" That said, before the prince could say the word, Suzaku called him upfront. His face now looked strained, showing guilt and looking down all of sudden, "You… I'm sorry! I was wrong to hate you when we first met. I shouldn't have done that, so I'm just, I'm sorry!" He expressed outwardly, even standing before him to lean and bow down in the Japanese traditional sign of respect and submission.

This perplexed Lelouch to no end, "(_He... does it so simply?_)" The surprise continues, "Why you would say that?"

"Because, you're really amazing! Nunnally told me about you. I didn't get it before." Came another unexpected reply, a praise of all things, directed to him, "I thought you were just an spoiled Britannian prince but, from what happened to your mother… And, with your brothers and sisters too… And now you have to protect your sister all by yourself… We're the same the age but..."

"Why are you crying now?" Asked Lelouch, blinking lost. Suzaku's demure was breaking down, his eyes getting wet as he spoke became so overwhelmed.

"Because… You had to suffer so much..." He answered last before starting to cry.

Truly, Lelouch could only stare bewildered to this scene, inspecting the broken heir as if he was an alien being, utterly incomprehensible, "(_This boy really is a strange one..._)" He concluded, giving up. His image of him being the villainous, if not predictable, enemy that he once had now was reduced to just an innocent immature boy, one just like him...

"You aren't a prince anymore, but you're still amazing..." Admired Suzaku as he recovered, ever so slowly.

"That's right, my big brother really is special!" Nunnally added in happy spur.

And so, the three of them stood there, looking at each other as they settled their differences...

* * *

The scene sparked sympathy among the jury, mild as it was to some…

"Xingke, why Lelouch looks so confused?" Asks the young empress of China observant, "He looks like he doesn't know how to thank someone even though he is really smart..."

The genius general looks at her, revealing a sad smile before explaining, "Hard times create strong men, Jiang… That's what Lelouch became. He got so used to see the bad in everyone that had forgotten how to repay good with happiness."

"Oh, that's… sad." Tianzi understood, reaching her conclusion, "But why must everyone be so mean? His father, that Suzaku before, Britannia..."

"Because when we're scared, we tend to lash out. Some with anger, others with tears. We were all scared back then. You as well, remember?"

"Oh..." And remembering her own moments drown in fear, she could comprehend the difference between her and everyone else. Glancing at Lelouch and the crowd before her, Tianzi now wondered why everyone feared each other so much. She didn't miss out their reactions to that green haired woman shown minutes ago. Even Xingke, who looked serene all the time had a twist she could sense. His expression kinda scared her back then.

But even then, curiosity won over, and she observed still...

"Now, while you may never get rid of the fear, you must learn to live with it." Xingke continued, lecturing, "Never forget what a kind soul you are. Even when scared, strive to do good unto others, so that they one day return the favor. That is the judgement of the wise. Do you understand?"

"Yes! I get it!"

"Good..."

The young Empress had an better impression of the scene before her. Looking at the now older Nunnally among the crowd, it was good see that smile on her face. Like how Xingke was, Tianzi now sympathizes with Lelouch in what he strives for…

And in agreement, Nunnally was happily remembering that very same moment, "_That day… It was really our beginning wasn't it, Suzaku?_" She whispered in comment, "_I feel bad that I could never make Lelouch laugh as well. We both wanted the same for each other._"

"**...**" Yet, If the man beside her made an reaction, he didn't show.

"_But when it came to it, It was you who made the difference and built the bridge between us all..._" The brunette Empress concluded, eyes slightly getting wet, it was tears of both happiness and loss, of what was received once and what will never return.

"(_Nunnally..._)" Suzaku was solemn there. He wanted to comfort his old friend from her pain yet could nothing but to place a hand in her shoulder as they continued to watch the session...

* * *

"Come here Lelouch..." Offered the young heir, inviting him inside the secret base.

"Huh? There's no way. You two fill up in the whole thing." The prince rejects.

"We can squeeze you in. You'll just get soaked out there. Come on!" Yet, with much insistence, Suzaku just saw fit to grab the Britannian and pull him inside.

"Ergh! Don't drag me in!" Forced in his hand, Lelouch reacted poorly. He stumbled on his footing, almost tripping down as his ankles strained slightly, "Argh, you can be so rude!"

"Forget that, let's get some shelter."

Alas, rough or not, the kids were now hurdled together under the tree opening of the secret base, all of them surrounding the one candle that gave them both light and heat in this dark and cold night...

"Ugh, It's cramped."

"Don't complain in my secret base."

"Hmph! At least it's warm." Like children, they treated and regarded each other in their simple ways, no longer caring of what had transpired among them...

"It is huh? Suzaku's secret base is so warm!" Nunnally, who carried an strong heart that warmed her peers.

"Yeah… You're right, Nunnally." Lelouch, who now slowly regained his own smile after a long time of tragedy.

"Hehe." And Suzaku, who saw the error is his ways and changed his attitude for the better in a world he didn't understand.

Hesitantly, it's safe the say that this was an beginning, a beginning for them in that summer day, the start of a happy time the seemed to shine upon them. And before they've noticed it, the rain had stopped and sun rose in the horizon at their smiling faces...

* * *

And thus at the end of a soothing session, there was nothing much for the jury to comment. Some just embraced the good moment, some lamented the tragedy that would come, and others had their minds still embroiled in the mystery of the court itself.

"Oh Nuna, you're crying..." Milly spotted as the student council congregated around the Empress, "This is such fond moment eh? Now I see how it is so special."

"Yes, yes it is..." Brunette answered quickly cleaning herself.

"Meh, I'll say Suzaku still did screw up back and forth there. He is completely different from the one we got at the school." Rivalz added making comparisons just for sake of it.

Listening to it all, Gino looked doubtful, "Really? Damn, what else I don't know about the guy? Every time I hear you guys talk about him he's a different person."

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised. Bad times can change a person." Commented Kallen with a strained face, almost looking away in shame, "We all know what's coming after this..."

And remembering the timeline, and the horrors of the past war, the mood among the group soured…

"The invasion of Japan." Nina mentioned, making it clear to all.

None among them would speak out of turn for a moment until Milly slapped her hands tight, "Right, right, it is what it is~ We will get there when it's time, for now let's just enjoy the good moment here please!"

And in bold statement meant to push the melancholy away, the former president of the student council seemed to bring back the rising sun that framed the stage. Indeed, now it was a time for good memories and everyone would like to keep it that way.

For now...

_**To be Continued...**_


	7. Stage 0,533 - First Friend

_Based on the Audio Drama of the same name..._

**Stage 0.533 - First Friend**

At the rise of the sun, whose lights pierce through a window, the sound of a shower's end echoes into someone's personal room. There, an individual adorned in her towel cleans herself whole, fixing her blue hair straight before checking her watch and dressing in her orange uniform, the standard issue for today's Britannian scientist branch in most military facilities.

Cecile is a disciplined woman, having long learned the drills of the military regime to the point she can't get rid of the habit. Each day, even in this starting era of peace, the enlightened woman would wake up and follow the same steps in preparation for a day of work, with documents, data and all the research that she has been charged with, ready proceed or continue into an step.

But alas, while before it was just a custom habit she couldn't get rid off, now it felt more like security procedure as of today, a coping mechanism, against an newfound mayhem that now haunts her dream times…

"(_The King's Court… What am I doing there?_)" She reflected, trying to find another excuse to an question already answered. Indeed, when you find yourself in communion with plenty figures from a long resolved war, you can't help but to feel anxious and insecure, specially when it involves a whole new branch of science still unknown even by the world's greatest minds.

Geass… And what an enigma... It's such a ominous concept that involves a deep relation with psychology. To this day, from what little Cecile learned observing the previous Emperor and Suzaku in their acts without being able to fully research it, never she expected the nature of geass to be so overwhelming.

Deep hypnotic manipulation; psychoanalytic dream interpretation; absolute sensorial hallucination… These and much more have been identified and speculated in her given study of what suddenly started about a week ago on word of the Empress in conjunction with the U.F.N.

It's terrifying to imagine how such phenomenon can be real. A power that control minds at the whim of a thought? Really, It's unimaginable in function, impossible to conceive, but the facts can't be denied. Even worse, the knowledge of its existence makes one wonder, just how ignorant she, and rest of the world for that matter, was from such existent phenomenon? Cecile doesn't know the answer but she could speculate.

And every hypothesis was as horrifying and cruel as the last…

"(_It's highly possible that such power was around in our history since the dawn of our species… Who knows what truths lies behind the stories, legends and myths of old age? What about the achievements of grand historical figures? Are their deeds truly an feat of their own hands? Or had they possession of something as fantastic as this?_)" The woman considered, getting hold of data slate discussing the relation of geass and common history between her hands, the tales within filling her mind whole.

That said, the truth, while enticing, it would take time for it to be uncovered completely, if at all really. Such wonders seem far too big for someone like her to be dealing with, so the bright woman couldn't help but to sigh at the face of it all…

"(_Really… What am I doing there again? Why did I accept the invitation?_)" She questioned herself again, lost to her own doubts.

Her immediate thought is Suzaku, that one valiant young man who now forsakes his identity, his very life, to follow a principle. Cecile grieves greatly that he now can never have back the life he desperately fought for or that he would ever experience the world he himself created for all that he done. She wants to hope for the best, to have him know joy, but the price paid by his hand would never let him do so. This is the reality of it now… Suzaku, her friend and companion, was no more. Now, he only saw himself as Zero, the Hero of the World, Bringer of Justice and Herald of the Peace. Truly, the burden must be horrible to bear when looking from afar…

Which brings Cecile to her decision. The King's Court was a surprise as any other for the intellectual woman, that's for sure. To see Suzaku declare that such event was foundation long planned by the previous Emperor made her wonder how does that fit in today's reality. Has the Emperor planned for the them to learn the madness of geass? Did he wanted them to have sympathy for his choices? Or did he only intended to reveal the truth in some form or another? Hmm...

Whatever the reason it is, what remains is that Cecile was indeed hooked with curiosity in the end. She was offered a chance, a very bizarre one mind you, to learn the history of her friend's tragedy. She wants to know what these two young men, Suzaku and Lelouch, have done to suffer such cruel ordeal and what have they earned for during such hardships.

Though the chance is minimal, Cecile hopes to actually learn if her friend can be redeemed and rewarded, not from behind a mask idolized by the world, but from his own face, one who is beloved by his own friends. She wants Suzaku to be happy among his circle, just like shown last night in the little group of teenagers that surrounds the Empress. Surely he should have the right in some form to do so, right?

"(_There has to be an way to make this happen..._)" The bright woman considered. Among the insanity behind geass, the cruel reality of the war and the relations from those involved, Cecile eventually found her resolution restored in this minor reflection. While doubts and questions still remain on the unknown, she understands it's her duty as an scientist of her own to help uncover such obstacles out of the way.

And maybe, through all of it, an solution may be found, one where Suzaku can be happy for once. That is what she holds on into for now...

* * *

Meanwhile, as some carry hope and joy in their hearts, others such as the Demon Emperor Lelouch remain lost in the sea of confusion and uncertainty in what he faces before him…

After what he finds an seemly pointless argument with his very judge, Lelouch vaguely skimmed his past memory of him making amends with the idealist idiot, only to find himself in shock in seeing C.C, the very Witch herself, way back then when he was young, a memory he doesn't recall seeing with full clarity…

"(_...She was there since down that age? That is..._)"

"**You look surprised, Accused One. Did you have an revelation?**" The judge interjected in her blunt echoing tone.

Lelouch then flinched, masked his expression with non-smile and responded, "No, none at all..."

"**...**"

Of course, his mind was in a minor turmoil for a few seconds there. He witnessed the cause, judged the circumstances and settled an conclusion swiftly. This was nothing special, it's just his mother's act, trying to preserve what little goodwill she had with C.C by asking her to watch over him. Yes, that has to be the case if he recalls correctly…

"(_And even then you let father wage war against Japan despite knowing exactly where both of us were, Mother..._)" He mentally reflected in an angry notion. Indeed, this left nothing but a bitter taste in Lelouch's mouth as he once again was reminded of the cruel manipulations of his parents who cared nothing of him, the world or it's future.

"**Hmm… Is the recollection of your newfound friendship such a painful moment for you? Are you regretting the choices your made?**" Interfered the woman thing again, prodding with her own subjects to bear.

Then again, he would not let this be. Not this away anyway… "You waste your time, oh godly being." He retorts bluntly, "This moment is but an triviality to me, not worth to be remembered."

Thrown the answer at her face, the creature didn't react, "**Then was it all for naught in the end? You, forsaking all of your emotions, your own ideals in your ambition?**"

"Of course."

"**Even the happy days wrought by your first friend? Or the tender love and care you sought for your sister? Were they all worthless?**" The judge insisted in her pressing words.

Lelouch was disturbed inwardly, but the facade remained, "Yes, all of it."

And then, in a moment of silence so that words could be ingested, the woman creature blinked, "**Then we proceed...**"

"..."

"**Though disregarded by your very words, your sister had much to share in what she learned from that day and beyond. Her memory was of boundless joy, cheerful and bright for a brother that one day would never care again...**"

The judge taunted the Demon Emperor with poisonous words, using very own mouth and the mind of his sister in a nonchalant manner as to test him. This is what Lelouch theorized, judging by the creature's ever permanent bland expression fixated on him just now.

It was so obvious, yet so trying to him nonetheless, forcing him to take subtle breaths as to calm down. Just upon mention of Nunnally, the one known as the Demon Emperor could only brace as he was shown what he had truly lost after death...

* * *

**Stage 0.533 - First Friend**

"Oh, we're starting right away?" Rivalz was thrilled, "And, first friend? More good stuff on the way it seems!"

The student council as usual was ecstatic about the Court in contrast to the pragmatic politicians and soldiers behind them. Tonight began hastily, the stage already taking shape in some noticeable misty form all around the popping crowd.

"Well, if these Court Sessions are going to be like this, then I guess will be used to the good sleep." Milly added, grooming her own hair in pose even though this is just a dream.

"Hmm, the stage number increased now..." Nina mentions next as she point out the heard words, "More than last time."

"That's an time skip then, right?" Inquired Gino following her, "But why is the progression so weird? Why it's 0.533 and not just 6, or 1 for that matter? How does it work?"

"Maybe it's related to an date?" Nunnally proposed joining the group.

Together, they pondered shortly among themselves before Milly spoke up, "Hmm… No, I think it's something different, maybe something about theatrics or cinematography." She affirms, "I don't know, it just that all of this reminds of the studio I work. I could ask them."

And at that epiphany, Kallen smirked, "Hmph, knowing what Zero is about, I have little doubt imagining what's really about." Implied redhead glancing grudgingly at the masked man beside Nunnally.

In either case, before anyone else could comment on the matter, the court session had begun nonetheless.

"**Nunnally vi Britannia, the Accursed's sister, the bond that forged his first friend and future enemy... If there was any moment that the Tyrant ever first felt joy after a long trial then it was with the resolution of her disappearance. From there on, much has changed, as the sister's memories show...**" Came the ominous voice of the geass-adorned woman, chilling the core of those who heard it.

The way she mentioned Nunnally put everyone to edge, even flinching the Empress herself as she tried to keep her composure at the indifferent glare she received from the one being that molded the world at her will...

* * *

Yet, unlike previous sessions however, this stage began in a considerably unique fashion. It wasn't an expressed movie of reality or an animated live-action anymore but more like a frozen picture frame, completely black and white, with streaming lines that seemed to drawn static representations of an small cramped room, where three small humanoid shapes congregated together.

These figures had no distinction from each other. They were completely filled in white, featureless in all core except for their forms and the voices they make, the sound or "audio", if one could give it the word, being so sharpened that even a heartbeat could be heard pulsating...

"Three. One, two, three."

And to prove the point, the first one was clearly recognizable. It's young Suzaku, his voice coming out from one of the white figure that is shown playing on the ground. It seems impossible to decipher was he's doing exactly, but the ground beside him seemed to break into waves as if it was made of water, moving scene in broken static frames like a slideshow flicking hastily but perceptibly…

"Ha! Alright, I pass the one in front."

"Oh, you pass me then?" Now it was Nunnally, her voice coming from the larger framed beside the other two. It was clear by her shape that this was her representation in wheelchair.

"There's no way a Japanese can lose a game of Sugoroku." Suzaku's voice spoke again, his white figure standing in such way that it clearly revealed the shape of his kimono, "You're next, Lelouch."

At his side, addressing the last vague figure, just his thinking pose alone identified who he was, "Japan doesn't hold the patent on six-sided dice. The Romans were first to invent them." Came the sudden trivia from the prince himself. Given his exotic manners, it only proved things further...

* * *

"Wow… Weird." Rivalz commented at the bizarre form of display of the stage. It's not often that you watch a living memory in such figurative manner, colorless and unorthodox to entertain.

Kallen frowned at the sight of it, "Why is it showing to us like that?" She asks honestly.

"That woman… She said this was Nuna's memory..." Nina pointed out thoughtful, "Maybe this what a blind person sees?"

Everyone turned to Nunnally, who tilted her head in confusion and blinked, "It is… Kinda. It always felt more like a feeling to me than proper sight. As I sense the world around me, I can picture my surroundings with the shapes and create a map of sort. I didn't actually think much about detail in that way..."

"Huh. So we're looking at the memories of a blind person? Interesting notion." Flared the words of Lloyd smiling in amusement.

"How can she do this though?" Cecile questioned, pondering, "Prince Lelouch, Suzaku and now Her Majesty herself… That woman managed to pull and give life to full memories in a matter of words."

Chucking at her words though, Rakshata who stood nearby just kept her laid-back demure as she joined the chat, "Well girl, we are all dreaming about this, aren't we? Both our minds and consciences are already under her wraps at this point. She has control of everything." She states.

"I know, but to leave no brain readings back in labs... This manner of information is just impossible!"

"Uhum~ And impossibility was often a tool of His Majesty." Lloyd concluded with smug, "Don't bother too much about it, Cecile. We've barely reached any plausible conclusion at this point. We have to wait for the U.F.N. to give us their data, only then we may peek more into the rabbit role~" He affirmed looking between her and the brunette Empress, plans flowing in the mind.

* * *

And as the pictures pick off from what Little Lelouch had said, with Suzaku's form seemly forming a smug in his figure shape, a blank smile, truly indistinctive from a drawing anyone can make on paper.

"Hmm… I don't really follow you, but I am the one winning right now~" Declared the Japanese heir openly to the prince's trivia.

Observing the two though, the stage began to change perspective, now moving to look over Nunnally's very shoulder, making her surroundings vanish and leaving a black void that merely shaped her thoughts to express them outwardly...

"(_This seems kinda strange somehow…_) She first mentions, "(_When they first met, Lelouch and Suzaku got into a fistfight and now they're playing together like nothing ever happened..._)"

And as if to make a point, her brother's little form reappeared hunched down and seemed to pick something invisible, throwing nearby to cast more waves of the ground...

"Five. One, two, three, four, five. Let's see..." The implication was clear here. From what they said, this is a game.

Suzaku also reappeared at his side, reading something as he held some big white rectangle in his hand, probably a card of sort, "Until your next turn, you have to act like a fat man!"

Hearing that, Nunnally glowed bright in reaction, her form gaining color to give her a smile, "Lelouch, you've turned into a fatty?" She asked mischievously.

"Yeah, yeah! Lelouch turned into a sumo wrestler. Gonso-desu~" Suzaku mocked.

And given the forming frown in the fallen prince's face, he certainly wasn't amused, "What's with this game!? It's all luck, you don't use your brain on it at all!" He complained.

But the Japanese heir wouldn't let him have it, "Oh no Lelouch, you've got to play like it says~"

"That's the rules big brother!"

Faced with the pressure even from his sister, the prince yields, his escaping sigh echoing out loud, "Alright Nunnally~" He plays along with a stuffed voice, puffing his cheeks visibly in his figure.

And in a mirth, the little princess chuckled boldly, "My big brother is a fatty!" All in fairly innocent moment between the three of them.

* * *

"Mou… That Suzaku, why didn't he introduced me back then?" Kaguya complained biting her nail slightly as her cheeks puffed, "I would have loved to have joined them there!" She yelled out loud, almost as if shouting at the stage itself.

Some however knew better what she was talking about, or to who exactly...

"Xingke, what is Sugoroku?" Tianzi asks, expressing her curiosity once more.

Blinking in surprise, the good general consented, "It's a Japanese game, Jiang. You throw a dice and make your piece travel the country in a map on the board. Every time you stop, you pick a card and do what it says as written. It's a very fun game to play with friends..."

"Oh! Traveling the world? That sounds fun!" The girl spoke interested, only to instantly become thoughtful once more, "Hm… with friends..." She then looked at Kaguya and pondered.

The young Chairwoman quickly noticed the glance and smiled, "I can bring it to you once we met again. We can play together~"

"Yay!" Eyes glittering wide, Tianzi was certainly happy to hear that.

Alas, observing the whole scene though, her peers, being most of the Japanese and the Britannian upper echelon there, all raised their eyebrows on sight the little Chinese Empress but didn't comment a word. It was hard to find anything worth commenting when reviewing such happy past of children. If anything, they could only lament what the tragedy had done to them, for only one among the three kids shown in stage survived to stand among them.

Or at least, only one with their face shown openly that is…

"(_I'm sorry, Kaguya…_)" Suzaku reflected, merely glancing sideways to the crowd behind him. He had gotten the message and mentally apologized, "(_I guess in a way I was still remained blind in a sense… You were my betrothed cousin back then and even then I ignored you straight in the face of everything..._)" He reminisced, thinking what little he could remember of the teenager.

Unfortunately, nothing much came into mind except for some bad pranks at her doing. Some REALLY bad pranks, he might add...

* * *

Back again, still laughing at the prince's demise, the figure of Suzaku smiled, "Hehe, you're good at that, Lelouch." He praised, thinking about the antics of the game.

"Hmph, I wouldn't be losing if this was chess..." The Britannian frowned still, arms crossing for a second before standing up, his pose showing him touching his chin as something came into mind, "Hey, wait a minute, Japan has a game like chess doesn't it?" He spoke up in a spark.

"You're talking about Shogi?" Pointed out the Japanese heir.

Which only makes Lelouch flare, "That's it! Let's play that. In japan you use the pieces to capture right? I've wanted to learn about that for a long time." He spoke, showing interest.

"I don't know the rules..."

"You're Japanese, aren't you?" Learning what he wanted, the prince seemed wishful to settle his mettle with his mind. It is his greatest forte after all.

Young Suzaku however sounded hesitant, "I hate complicated games like that."

"That's because you're stupid." Retorted Lelouch dryly.

Suddenly taunted, the Japanese heir took the challenge, "What!? Now, you've said it!" And it leaping motion, his figure tacked the prince's own, pushing him into the ground, pinning him down. One would think things would get bad after that, but you would be mistaken...

"Hey! You're... Trickling me, Suzaku!" Being attacked by hand upon his sides, Lelouch was just overwhelmed by touch-sensitive laughter. He tried at vain to get away, but his flimsy strength did nothing but render himself immobile.

"Ha! When it comes to fights, I'll always beat you!" The young heir declared on top of his fallen opponent.

"He's right, brother~" And joining his side, the princess agreed, nodding like a judge.

From that, the three kids shared good laughter. In reflection of it all, Nunnally seemed pleased with how things have turned out. Indeed, Lelouch and Suzaku have grown so close, it seems like they've been friends forever. She recalls how they were both worried about her that day and what had truly happened. The memory was faint in appearance, but it distorted the world on will, her imagination exposed to the audience with vivid colors of scenery...

It revealed how Nunnally was alone in corridor inside the shrine, her affairs left to her own devices. She looked bored. Her brother had left to do his shores as usual and from the few days she had been there, she hadn't heard and smelled anything new inside the storehouse. So, in a little bout of mischievousness, Nunnally dared to venture out on her own, forfeiting the many concerns Lelouch constantly told just a little just to catch some new breath of air.

Alas, it was then that the little princess heard it, or more specifically eavesdropped it, what her Japanese patrons sought to do with her...

It was a shock indeed. When Nunnally heard she was going to marry the Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi, the Britannian princess felt so scared and helpless that she just ran away without thinking ahead, leaving the shrine, falling on the stairs, and crawling her way blind into the forest.

In hindsight, one could say that it her own fault for causing all that ruckus. If she only had kept herself in on place, all that conundrum would have been avoided...

* * *

"Daw, can you even be more adorable, Nuna?" Teased Milly, smirking as she saw the scene with glee, "If only I could bring my camera in this place to take a picture..."

And blushing slightly, Nunnally hid her embarrassment well, "Good thing this is a dream, right?~"

"Urgh, lucky girl..."

"Well, that's fine and dandy girls but what happened to that marriage proposal?" Rivalz interjected, raising alarm, "Was it still on or was it called off?"

Nunnally glances at the stage and tries to remember, "Hmm, I can't quite recall it... Maybe brother did something?" She suggested uncertain.

Looking doubtful, Gino questioned it, "The old Emperor? As a kid? Sorry but that sounds a bit dumb..."

"Hmm, I wouldn't be surprised." Kallen stated out, "If it's Lelouch, he could have done it."

"Ooo, such confidence, what makes you sure?"

"I just know it..."

* * *

"...Hehe, sorry, Nunnally." Past aside, Lelouch's sweet voice echoed in her ears, bringing the little girl back to reality, "So, should we continue the game?" He suggested in a tired tone out of breath from much laughing.

"You're the one who interrupted it, Lelouch." Pointed Suzaku with a smug.

"Hmph, you always remember stuff like that, don't you?"

From that, Nunnally's figure smiled. In the end, what happened didn't matter much, rather it's the other way around, "(_Now that they've grown so close, I think it was for the best…_)" Reflected the little princess, watching the two batter, "(_Suzaku is the first real friend Lelouch ever had, and I think Lelouch may be Suzaku's first real friend too. And now, ever since that happened, things changed. Suzaku now comes to the storehouse everyday. He eats dinner with us, listens to the radio with us, and even sleeps over too_...)"

"Still, I'm surprised..." The acknowledged Japanese heir speaks, "How did you get the marriage with Nunnally called off?" He asked.

Hearing her own name, the little princess tilted slightly. Nunnally was so embroiled in her memory that she missed the chat between the two for a second.

"Oh, I made a deal." Lelouch answers with a short sentence.

"Huh, with my father?"

"Yeah, like a trade. I gave them something that belonged to me." His voice seemed to carry confidence, like there was nothing to be concerned.

Suzaku's tone however was dumbfounded, "Belonged to you? But you came here-"

"I came here with nothing?" Completed the prince for him, "Well, what I gave him wasn't anything physical..." He affirmed as a matter of fact.

Nunnally however was a smart girl, she could tell that big things carry great importance. And from her brother's voice alone, the dissonance on it, this deal he made left her worried on what he could have offered.

"Lelouch, what is it?" She prodded, worrying about the one topic everyone wondered, both in the past and in the future.

The prince then glanced at her and read her through, merely smiling, "Don't look like that Nunnally, I didn't give them anything that was valuable to us. It's nothing to worry about."

"Okay..."

"It's alright Nunnally, it really is." He assured, holding her hand close, washing away the worries from the innocent mind she still had.

Truly, her big brother's voice sounded really gentle. Even though she can't ever see his expression anymore, young Nunnally could tell he was smiling, she could picture it with her mind. When it comes to smart things like this, she can easily trust and believe him. She can always count on her brother to makes things go fine again. If he says it's alright, then he must be right. It has been proven so. Even this cramped dirty storehouse has become a wonderful fun place to live, and that was because Lelouch said it was a wonderful place, so he was right. He made it true...

"(_...The only thing I can really trust is him~_)" Praised the little princess, smiling wildly as she sorted her thoughts continuously and repeatedly.

* * *

"See? I told you..." Pushed off a certain redhead among the student council group, smiling shortly.

Rivalz however wasn't that convinced, "Hmm… I don't know, Kallen. Just what have Lelouch given to pull that off?" He pondered, thinking of something crazy, "I don't think the prime minister would accept anything cheap, not from what we've seen from the man."

"Well, that's… True, I guess. Who knows..."

Everyone asked the same question. Lelouch, a fallen prince with nothing and naught but a kid on top of it, managed to set an agreement with Genbu Kururugi, the Former Prime Minister of Japan, to call off a political marriage. Indeed, one can only wonder what stakes must have the former Emperor have gambled on.

Meanwhile, grown up dignitaries among the crown jury contemplated the stage session in silence, or at least, mostly so given the circumstances...

"Say, why do we have to see all of that?" Boasted Tamaki, looking tired and distracted, "This is just boring stuff! What do we have to do with some kid's past?" He inquired out loud to his companions.

Sugiyama and Yoshitaka would try to reply him, only to notice an hawkish glare looming over the three of them, "Quiet Tamaki, this is someone's fond memory we're watching, the Britannian Empress's one that is. You do well to show respect." Lectured Todoh coming in close.

The boisterous fellow then quickly went shut after that...

"Even so, that devotion she shows… Her majesty really loved her brother very much..." Commented Chiba with a dubious posture, "I don't want to imply anything but, shouldn't we be concerned that she may be… well..." She suggested in caution, glancing at the Britannian brunette herself but unable to complete the sentence.

The implication was set though, letting paranoia and distrust settle in…

"That is…" Ohgi himself doubted it, but he has his own bad memories to set him straight, which only got reinforced when Villetta held his hand.

"How rude! This is just a kid we're hearing a mind from." Kaguya spoke out, looking right at Todoh's aide with severity, "You can't just assume or condemn anyone for their thoughts!"

That seemed to shake the Holy Swordswoman of her stance, "O-of course, forgive me, Miss Chairwoman..."

"Besides, don't forget what they have gone through." The teenager continued, "If I was taken care of after being throw out of my country the way they did, even I would admire my lovely knight to such extent~" She confessed with glee.

That brought more contemplation among the group...

"Hmm, let's also not forget, this is calm before the storm." Choose Xingke to speak, his eyes set forward with his reasoning, "This is Lelouch's trial we're on, or at least, what we're told it is. If so, these memories we're seeing must serve to bring out some point to argue against him in some way, a judgement of some form. We're just here as jury, given the opportunity to learn the truth, questionable as it is..."

And at his words, none could add anything. He had a solid point.

"Well, whatever trial this is, they're sure taking their time then..." Tamaki complained still as they set to focus on the stage again...

* * *

"Oh, what is it, Suzaku?" Lelouch inquired suddenly as things moved on. Something must have come up again as Nunnally perked up. They were no longer playing right now...

"A bunch of fire engines are coming into town at the foot of the mountain, it's a disaster drill!" The young heir revealed, his tone cheerful and excited. "They have a room that lets you feel what a earthquake is like."

That got both Britannians curious, "Earthquake? You mean like when the ground starts moving?" Asked the prince.

"Yeah. Oh that's right, you don't get many earthquakes in Britannia, do you?"

Lelouch was shortly silent there, he seemed thoughtful about it, "Really… An earthquake huh?" It was faint, but Nunnally could just hear his mystified tone of interest, that wild curiosity of a child lured to wonder.

"You wanna come with me? I can just ask the security police to watch us." Suzaku offered eager.

"Could we!?" Lelouch was hooked for sure, but his awe quickly turned sour in epiphany, "Oh… But..."

And hearing it all, It didn't take much for the Nunnally to know what her brother was thinking, "I'll see you later, Lelouch~" She graced him, putting the best smile she could muster, "I'm a little tired, so I think I'll take a nap. I'll be fine here."

"Are you sure?" The good brother insisted still, unsure of leaving her alone.

Before she could answer though, Suzaku took the spot, "Nunnally, we'll bring back a souvenir, okay?"

That then served as the cover she needed, "Okay, I'll look forward to it~"

And with her answer, the young heir seemed appeased, "Let's go, Lelouch!"

"W-Wait up, Suzaku!"

"If we don't hurry, it will get dark, and it will be your fault for being such a slowpoke~"

"No, you just run too fast. You're an exercise nut!"

"(_And there they go..._)" Nunnally ponders briefly as she no longer can hear their steps. Stage was now empty, leaving only a her figure in middle of an empty, black void...

Though bleak to see, Nunnally is nonetheless happy that her brother was able to make a friend, not that she can't dismiss that it feels lonely for her sometimes. Lately, it seems her brother only talks about Suzaku now. Still, since the Japanese heir is a nice person, the little princess figures she can let him borrow her big brother now and then...

"(_But Suzaku, just remember to bring him back okay?_)" She giggled on thought, basking at the sunlight of the evening as the world fades away into the light...

* * *

The session then ended, leaving the little princess form gaining color as a last frame for all to see her smile, a gentle ending to contemplate.

Well… Gentle to most, except for two who melted away in silent sadness.

"_**Nunnally, I-**_"

"_Don't say it… Just don't._"

Forsaken to leave the past as it is, Suzaku could only stand there, crushed by guilt, as Nunnally fought her tears to keep a smile out in her face. Out for her respect, the student council nearby avoided saying anything as they knew how the loss of her brother meant much despite all the crimes. For them, no words were necessary.

As for the others though...

"(_Oh, such vibrant beauty! The purity of Lady Marianne's progeny laid bare._)" Jeremiah admired, eye glittering, "(_Now I understand your zeal my Emperor, now I can see where your true devotion walked towards. You have always sought to protect that one smile, you in your own way, sought the path of chivalry, making the ultimate sacrifice… Truly, your mother should be proud!_)"

Beside him, an maid agreed, comforting the orange knight as he cried, "Well well, it is a great picture~" Sayoko nodded, giving him pats on the shoulder while glancing at Nunnally, who after a moment of respite, went back to happily laugh among those in her circle of friends, "(_Master Lelouch, It's sad that you can't be here with us in this age… To savor the fruits of your labor, that was supposed to be your right and yet..._)" The maid could only shake her head, "(_...At least know that many still mourn for you._)"

Meanwhile another former knight pouted at sight of the stage picture, "Hmm… Will I remember this when I wake up?" Anya considered. She has seen many good pictures and scenes she wants to record but given the visage of how the dream works, the stoic girl feared relying on memory alone.

Beyond this, at the dismissing silence of Schneizel in the corner, the brooding forms of Cornelia and Guilford embracing each other, and the respectful vigilance of both japan and china hand at hand, all without anything relevant to say or comment, the dream faded from existence in a whisper, passionate yet relaxing…

It was on purpose of course, for as Xingke said, this was common grounds for an starting darkness that would come.

Until then…

_**To be Continued...**_


	8. Stage 0,543 - The End of Summer of Joy

_Based on the Audio Drama of same name..._

**Stage 0.543 - The End of the Summer of Joy**

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention…

When pushed to a corner, mankind does everything to survive, challenging themselves to pass their limits and going on their way to crack their very heads against the walls of impossibility. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don't. But, on the center of it all, necessity was always the pushing hand that moved mankind around. It is necessity that gave them purpose, necessity that provided the drive…

And it's that kind of necessity that a certain Earl-titled scientist found himself wanting for in the long months that passed since end of Demon Emperor's Tyranny. Yes, Lloyd, the self-proclaimed sociopath, a brilliant mind in the field of science, specifically on knightmare Frames and their applications, found himself on a pinch. He sat on his office, staring at the giant wall of complex equations, at the numbers and formulas of some Sakuradite Composition Nuclei, all in the design of his next masterpiece of hardware, the Lancelot Ascension.

It is the newest state-of-the-art creation of engineering, his very attempt to push the barriers further in the 9th generation of knightmare frames, truly an war machine to be feared.

A war machine, that has little use in a time of peace…

"_*Sigh*_… but how can this be?"

Indeed, Lloyd was almost - emphasis on almost - going on some phase of depression after much of the budget that was dedicated to his research was taken away on the Empress's word to seemly demilitarize Britannia from its warmongering roots. This has forced the man to rely either on his own finances and, when short on it, plead for incentives in a decreasing market to keep his project working. And even then, the possibility of it being scrapped was nigh high. Only Schneizel has given his... _support_, in keeping Lloyd active on his dream job, not that this was that much of a prospect to hope for given his infamy…

Meanwhile, the U.F.N had an necessity to keep the Black Knights well maintained, and while working for them was an alleged opportunity/backup plan, an certain Indian nuthead had already infested the place with her shady knock-offs, something that angered the Earl of Pudding to no end. In fact, that woman even had the audacity of copying his own design! First with his much necessary changes in creating the Guren S.E.I.T.E.N through Cecile's masterful Energy Wings invention and then retrofitting his beautiful Lancelot Albion into that aberration called Black Albion, Albion Zero or whatever the hell…

"(_The nerve of that woman!_)" He cursed, grabbing his own hair to flail madly.

And of course! Of course Suzaku had to support her! The child playing hero with that mask of his. How could he forget his friends!? How could he just abandon him here with nothing to go on!? How he was supposed to work on his passion like this!?

"Urgh!...What a boomer." Sighed the scientist in defeat.

All-in-all, what stands is that Lloyd found himself alone now. There was little he could do but to distract his mind with something else in times like these, something that Cecile has been handling on her own lately. Lloyd didn't give much attention to it at first but this King's Court business was serving was quite the pastime to enjoy. Seeing the past Emperor doing his thing in his young age served as quite the amusement to decipher, not to mention the things that are being dealt in the new secret thing playing around nowadays: Geass.

Now, psychology however is not his forte, Lloyd understood that much, but that doesn't mean he can't work it out, specially when it intermingles with his best field…

"Impressive… So this is the Brain Raid System..." Quite, the man did admire the theory in paper, smiling as he reads the document granted to him by the EU dignitaries from the U.F.N. And to think that the Europeans managed to create such piece of hardware… an brainwave interface set on a knightmare's cockpit to capitalize coordination between different pilots in a squad. It is most interesting indeed.

It is said here that an previous military unit called W-0 led an experimental kind of knightmare frame known as _Alexander_ on the east britannian borders around year 2017. Much of the details regarding the devicers and those in charge of the group had been redacted as state secrets and missing-in-action but the battle data is legitimate, with accounts supporting unanimous efficiency among the core members involved.

"...So much so that some suspect the bullocks of mental manipulation going on... Heh." Lloyd was indeed amused.

While the data doesn't makes it certain, he already can imagine the distinction of this with everything else that has been handed over to him about geass. And with all these dream sequences raising quite the headaches among the core science community, the pudding loving scientist wouldn't be bored for quite a while.

Truly, necessity IS the mother of invention...

* * *

As for its father though, few could ever come with an agreement. In Lelouch's case, he considered that it was incentive, for incentive is what allows mankind to improvise, to change, to act, all things that invention needs to exist. And Lelouch had quite the incentive thinking nasty things as he glared at the visage of his very judge before him.

"**This is what you have thrown away… The little joys of life, happy, innocent and pure.**" The woman stated, "**How sad... I suppose this is what you meant about how your life turned for the better... And yet here I wonder how can you dismiss this so easily...**"

"..."

But met with no rebuke, the creature leans back and shakes her head, "**Confess Accursed One, silence won't cover your judgement. Strip yourself from the lies of omission, throw away your mask and show us what you really are.**"

"(_What I really am? Why even ask? You called it yourself, I'm a tyrant, I've embraced my crimes and forsaken for the sake of my own ambitions..._)" Thought Lelouch as he paid no mind. It has been 7 hours since this whole judgment mess started, this much he had counted, yet much distortion could be felt on his conscience. It is like this being wanted him to lose his sense of time... or more likely, his sense of existence. Either way, Lelouch couldn't nothing but reflect what little he had, and what little he had gained in the very end of his actions, "(_Nunnally… How's she faring out there? Is the world left in the peace you've dreamed of? Is Suzaku taking care of it as intended? Hmm… Considering him and his disposition, I would imagine. This is what we planned, this is what we sought, redemption, atonement, punishment… To pay for the blood in our hands._)"

"**...**"

"_(I know I'm not worthy of it, but in a way, I fell like I'm starting to miss you. I actually miss those little moments we had together... So much that I wish... I wish I could see you again once more...)_"

"Big brother?"

"!?"

Yet, amidst his mental confession of desires, the Demon Emperor was startled upon hearing his sister's voice suddenly calling him out of the blue. Lelouch looked up, and saw that the woman judge was no more. Instead, what sat before him at the chair was the visage of Nunnally, dressed like a proper princess, the last attire he wore upon his confrontation at the Damocles.

"I am here Big Brother... I'm here for you." She first spoke, gentle and caring, in unmistakable tone before her grace shifted and disappeared in the next second, "But I don't understand... Why haven't you told me the truth? Why did you kept lying?" Nunnally begged, accusing him with her shimmering violet eyes staring at him with newfound tears, her voice being a perfect imitation, on tone, on pinch, on appearance, on disdain, on the very feeling of the soul of the accusation itself, and the melting sadness within...

"Nunnally, I..." But, as the mind of Fallen Emperor quickly realized, aware of the impossibility of what he was seeing, the broken heart of Lelouch quickly burned with anger and indignation as he stood up sharply, hands crushing into fists to unveil the deception, "No, you're not Nunnally! You're an Impostor! _Don't you dare use her face before me!_" He screamed, completely wroth.

And with his point proven, his sister's sad disgust just shattered like a mirror, revealing the cold glare of the judge woman underneath, her face framed in the shadows of a broken dimension, never recoiling or flinching, "**We know your thoughts Accused One. Your very feelings, your very true self…**"

"Grr… You..."

"**Confess; speak us; open your mind and be judged...**" She demanded, spreading terror in her voice, "**Nothing is irrelevant, every moment is considered, every feeling of every life, every second of every memory, every thought of every decision. We must know all.**"

"..." Lelouch tried to come up with his words to say but they never left the throat as he saw what stood behind the creature…

"**Soon you will join us, join them, death is your end, passage your right, but not before the judgement at hand being through...**" The woman affirmed as a brilliant light shone on her back, showing something the the Demon Emperor knew very well…

Namely, those he condemned...

It… It reminded of his deeds, causing him to falter. Lelouch felt upturned, his resolve and anger fading away replaced by an void of despair. It overwhelmed him enough that he couldn't even speak as his heart now found a path open before it, ready to unleash itself. He was scared, VERY scared of her, frightened to the core of his being.

And he couldn't understand why…

"**Next memory, the end of your peace, the death of your remaining innocence, of your very life as a child and person...**"

* * *

"Alright, how is the work going in here? Does anyone have any clues by now?" Kaguya addressed to all around her, Japan, China and Britannia alike. Her intent? See if there was progress was growing around the U.F.N project against both geass and the court.

"No, it's all stagnant right now..." Rakshata spoke first making herself known, "Our heads are still on their bodies fine and dandy. We're sleeping on some deep REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep right now. Very comfy and clean. The lucid dreaming however… well, it can't be accounted for as we can't spot any difference from a common case or individual. This is all too much abstract to research on."

"The time disparities are prevalent and confirmed though. We have hit on some sort of… Abyss of information, so to say." Xianglin added with word from her own kin, "Our memories are sort of missing when it comes any knowledge of this dream's stages. Lord Xingke has done some experiments and found out that while we're awaken, the knowledge acquired from a court session temporarily ceases to be as to catch up with everyone else..."

That revelation opened many eyes wide among the dignitaries who just glanced at the mentioned genius advisor, "It's rather fun to play shogi against one self." He mentions with a certain amusement.

"So, you're saying that our memories are compromised?" Ohgi asks, trying to make sense of things.

Rakshata then shook her head, "Not compromised, more like, delayed. We're all here, sharing this lucid dreaming together, perceiving and receiving information at same time, but as everyone knows, our night cycles vary overworld. This means that whoever sleeps and wakes first will have knowledge others sleepers don't have until they themselves go to sleep."

"And if this one early bird tells another what he had saw, one would expect that he should know and remember what to expect in his next sleep." Complemented Lloyd intruding, "And yet, when we all meet together like this, no one seem quite to remember anything told to them by the morning, hence the _abyss_ of information. Knowledge of the Court's sessions cannot be anticipated or passed on artificially unless everyone reaches a present level together, which requires more or less 24 hours flat starting from one's time zone~"

Hearing the explanation, the great leaders and warriors contemplated on what trickery was done to them. All this tangling of memory was leaving most of them rather paranoid.

"Does Zero knows about all of this?" Cornelia inquired glancing at the masked man's back.

"Only the barest intel for now." Todoh affirmed, grim expression, "Most of our findings are kept between ourselves and the few selected individuals appointed to research. As we have decided, we can't trust just his word on all of this yet..."

"I see… But has he done anything else of notion in meantime?"

"Well, he has ordered the black knights to find his mistress on all channels." Kaguya answered, smiling mischievously, "Looks like our dear Zero is seeking her company once more."

"C.C..." Cornelia murmured, remembering that last discussion about this one name, the one green haired girl who is said to be immortal, she who once stood by Zero's side in the past given what she heard...

"My Lady, why don't we just corner the vigilante on spot and interrogate him outright? If not here, then maybe we can prepare something overworld. We can't keep risking ourselves in this strange witchcraft." Suggested Guilford on his liege's ear.

"Hmm..." For a moment, Cornelia considered, glancing over her target once more with plans on mind. However, with the man standing by Nunnally's shadow, and with the forming presence of the unknown being forming right before her, hesitation crossed over the princess's face.

"(_No, not yet… There's too many things we don't know. It's too risky..._)" She reflected, grinding her teeth in a frown. The complexity of it all was starting to get her...

"**The Accursed's Life had acquires a moment of respite in his new home, making a new friend and regaining his lost smile. The prince, in his innocence, sought to live on from that brief moment of joy, but as history has shown, nothing lasts forever...**"

* * *

**Stage 0.543 - The End of the Summer of Joy**

The session starts with curious opening. No longer was the world of an black and white picture from Nunnally's memory. Instead, things went back to normal, merely revealing the little forms of Lelouch and Suzaku huddled together in the bushes, positioned ready to leap out in a run. Their faces looked serious, primed for attention as they watched the usual movement of black suit men standing guard around the Kururugi Shrine stairs...

"Are you sure about this? Reeeeeally sure?" Suzaku whispered in doubt, his tone and face betraying some anxiety.

"Trust me, this plan is perfect." Lelouch assures without fear, "Only, are you sure you can drive?" He asks back, acting meticulously as something was about to follow.

"I'll do my part, just leave that to me."

"Okay. Counting down. Five, four, three, two, one, zero!" And with that, the Britannian prince pressed a button on some device he had in hand and awaited...

Soon enough sparking-like crackers started to flare out over the entrance near where they stood, creating a chain effect of exploding noises that climbed out the long white stairs from the forest all the up of the to the top, where a large cloud of smoke enveloped what was the Shrine's building front.

"_What's that!?_", "_Terrorists!_", "_Protect Genbu Kururugi!_" Yelled the security guards in sharp reaction. They quickly draw their pistols and marched upstairs, expecting the worst of what was happening in what appears to be distraction.

"Wow, explosions… And even a smokescreen!" Suzaku admired the damage done, "Did you set that up, Lelouch?"

Appreciating his work, the Britannian prince smiled devilishly, "I told you I would. Now, this is our chance let's go, Suzaku!"

"Right!"

Without hesitation, the two kids darted out, putting in motion something of their own doing...

Lelouch sounded confident. He had planned all the diversions in advance for their benefit. They could still hear them off, firecrackers exploding out loud as they dashed for the now vacant car that would take them outside the shrine. Their destination? A little bird's nest who has been attacked by a big bird and couldn't fly anymore. The prince knew where the nest itself was located, that being in the branch of a tree near the top of next mountain. Suzaku has spotted it with binoculars when they were sightseeing the horizon earlier.

They couldn't just leave the little guy defenseless, so, in quick thought, the duo packed their tools and worked this bold plan out for a rescue...

* * *

The jury was caught in a bit of tension there. After the judge's presenting words and the mentioned name of the stage, most were already waiting for something to come up. Yet, to be shown something akin to a kid's prank, some couldn't help but to be disconcerted. Others however just enjoyed the chaos...

"Oh okay, some kind of action now..." Gino first commented, "Those are some damn loud firecrackers in there though."

Rivalz found himself agreeing with him, "Yeah, almost like bullets. And that smokescreen… He didn't just set the shrine on fire, didn't he?" He inquired next, trying to wrap his lost friend's setup.

"Hmm, It don't think so. That smoke coloration..." Nina noticed, pinpointing something, "I think Lelouch actually used some homemade components to create a dust explosion instead."

"Oh, really? Damn, can you teach me to do that? This gives me so many ideas!" Admired the blue bar waiter engorging the trivia.

"W-well..." Nine however, wasn't quite sure she willing to do that... She had learnt her fair share of lessons regarding "_explosions_".

Meanwhile, Nunnally and Zero stared at the past and recalled that very moment, pinpointing it straight, "Oh, so that's what you two were up to…" The Empress started before her stomach became cold, "But this memory... That means..."

Nodding along, Suzaku just gave her an confirmation, grimacing underneath the mask as he remembers what is coming. Both would have to brace it now…

As for the rest, Cornelia and Guilford didn't have a word, looking apprehensive on the petty prank. Schneizel as usual remained bored, with his expression hidden in a poker face. If anything else, one could say that he was a tiny little bit curious on the efforts of his little brother. Beyond that, there's no clue.

The Japanese on the other hand, they had mixed reactions.

"That darn kid... So he was the one responsible." Todoh frowned slightly at the sight of the Shrine exploding. He couldn't deny the effect though. Even he flinched slightly upon seeing Lelouch pushing that trigger.

"Uhm… All that effort, just for a bird?" Ohgi reasoned a little dumbfounded.

Villetta at his side however smiled a little, "Hmph, always the mischievous one… I'll wouldn't doubt it if he really wanted it." Added the Britannian wife, recalling the prince in his escapades towards gambling.

"Hmm, at least it's for a good cause. Who wouldn't help a little bird in distress?" Kaguya admired.

"You would prank your own home just to do just that?" Questioned the Chinese General with a arched eyebrow, "That's a bit too much don't you think?"

"But the bird was hurt, Xingke! They had to help it!" Tianzi flared in a rare moment of flaunt indignity, "If I was as smart as Lelouch I would do it! Ney, even if wasn't, I would have ordered something to be done!"

That outburst in turn surprised the man slightly as he had mouth open for a second before smiling at her, "Of course of course Jiang, and I would have obeyed without question." Xingke affirmed, subtly retracting the previous word just to preserve his dignity against her bold kindness.

* * *

Alas, with their seats secured and the motor turning up on the cat they had just stolen, the Lelouch and Suzaku were bound leave, their scheme following through the next crazy step…

"There, I hot-wired it." The Britannian prince affirmed, vacating away from underneath the pedals whose surface above it had it's wires exposed and intermingled.

"Woah, you're like a thief." The Japanese Heir could only watch with awe on his friend's handy work.

"That goes without saying. Now, let's take off."

"Right. Suzaku Kururugi, moving out!" He declared, simply pushing the acceleration pad with his whole body to let the cat dart in a run. The wheels then skid the ground and they zip out from the shrine.

Truly, this is odd scene to watch. Two kids driving a stolen vehicle for a petty rescue mission… One can only imagine what provoked them to commit to this extent. After all, why can't they just go and ask permission to save the bird or do what Jiang said and order someone to do it? That is a question to ponder.

The truth is though, they didn't have much of choice really. It is known that If the two of them were to leave the boundaries of the Kururugi Shrine, the security police would stop them for sure. Though the reasons are very different, both Lelouch and Suzaku are both too important for them, and for Japan on that matter, to be let out for something so trivial as taking care of some wild bird off in the mountains. So, the Britannian prince in his ingenuity, had anticipated this and chose to resort in this scaling action rather than nagging their heads with the grown ups.

"I wonder if they'll come after us..." Lelouch heard Suzaku nervous voice, him constantly looking back on the rear mirror.

"None of the cars at the Kururugi Shrine will work now. It will take at least ten minutes for them to call up a car at the town on the foot of the mountain." He explained, not worried in the slightest. His plan had many layers on to it, "You think you can pass off the post office before then?"

"No problem." The japan boy nodded, his eyes watching the road and the speed panel at once, "Seventies isn't too fast, is it?" He asked innocently, while their car sweeped around the mountains in wild turns, the wheels slicing the streets as it marked the road, narrowly avoiding getting itself thrown off-course down the cliff...

That drifting stunt impressed the Britannian, who had expected way less from their stride, "Wow, where did you learn to drive like that?" He couldn't help but to ask.

"What you're talking about? You've done this too, Lelouch." Suzaku replied nonchalant.

That confused the prince, who took a second to reason it before going pale, "Huh? Y-you mean video games!?"

"How else? You think someone will let a kid like me practice with a real car?" Added the bold Japanese boy with a valiant expression, smiling at his _proficiency_.

That only served to make Lelouch go cold on spot, "Wha- You're crazy! Stop this car right now!" He demanded immediately, his voice now quickly getting scared at this gross misjudgment.

"Forget it, we've got ten minutes to get past the post office." Suzaku however ignored him, too settled on the plan to realize the danger they were in, "I told you, leave this to me." He simply assures, doing nothing cast away the gripping fear clutching his friend now.

And adding to prince's newfound dismay, the car's speed only seemed to increase, "Urgh, Nunnally!" He cried out loud, fearing his live as he held himself on the seat tightly.

* * *

The whole scene was taken with a mix of mild amusement and exasperation from the Jury. It was just insanity, a mad plan born out of naivetee, working out purely out of negligence on the babysitters' part. It was so bad that one can only watch the stage and think if this was some form of live-action entertainment in the shape of comedy.

Milly for example just laughed at it all, "Oh boy, what a mess! I knew Suzaku was brave being knight and all but this is gold! Maybe I should have pushed the friendly guy a little more on my devious plans..." She expressed, making a certain masked man shiver slightly.

Kallen also smirked at the sight of it all, "That Lelouch really should have anticipated for Suzaku bullheadedness." She affirmed, shaking her head as her peers agreed.

Or at least, most of them, "Now, now, that's not nice! Suzaku was just being kind. While that was a bit reckless, shouldn't his courage be at least admirable?" Cecile suggested, joining around in the Japanese's defense.

The redhead blinked at her words for second before challenging, "Even so, it still very dumb to confuse video games with real life."

"Fufufu…Oh, really?" A third voice came, with Lloyd coming from over Milly's shoulder, much to Rivalz chagrin, "Well, I don't want to compare it but what about the knightmare simulators? I know some who would consider these quite the fancy video game of some action genre~"

"What? No way, that's totally different!" Kallen denied, "They're called simulators for a reason."

"Hmm, if you say so..." Yet, not proposing an count-argument, Lloyd just let the matter drop, settling for watching the living piece of hardware shining at the stage, "At any case, Suzaku was indeed quite the promising devicer. While still a bit slow on the brains, the potential was there. He was a talented soul since way young."

"Huh… Well too bad, I still had beaten him and that toy of his into scrap. So much for talent..." Kallen lastly declared, arms crossed.

Which made the mad scientist twitch on the toy mention, "Excuse me?" But he was thoroughly ignored...

* * *

Alas, for all of their recklessness, the two apparently made their way on the next mountain range safely despite all circumstances. The passage of the sun rising around midday doing good to mark their arrival…

From what is seen, Suzaku had calmly parked the car off-road and was already on his way jumping out after their next objective, "There it is, the little bird's nest!" He shouted, running off on his own with boundless energy on his feet. It is like the past ride did not affect him in the slightest, "Come on Lelouch, you can see the Kururugi Shrine from here!"

Far behind him though, already out of breath and still shell-shocked, a distraught prince barely caught up with the Japanese boy. In fact, Lelouch couldn't even speak after all the rush, almost hyperventilating himself to tiredness after catching up with his friend...

"Ah geez… Princes aren't very strong, are they?" Young Suzaku mocked with a smug, looking at his frail friend who glared back at him.

"Huff… You're too strong! Ugh... You're exercise nut… Argh..." Lelouch tried to complain with his typical overused curse but gave up under the enemy's victorious smile.

"Sore loser~" In fact, the heir just stood there, enjoying his superiority for a second before bending over to stretch his arm, "Come on, gimme your hand." He offered.

And so, lifting the prince up, the two settled up into a clear vista of the mountain, where one side showed the grand forest that surrounded the Kururugi Shrine's outskirts while on the other, a vast valley seemed to go up in different slopes deeper were they are. All-in-all, their rescue had been successful and after a tender care, the little bird they sought recovered and chirped sharply on it's nest, this time at the company of its grateful parents…

"We actually made here, didn't we?" Commented the Britannian prince with a smile.

"Yeah, we completely outsmarted the grown ups." Suzaku agreed, "Thanks to your plan, Lelouch."

Now the smile turned into a smug, "The car is hidden and we left false clues for them to follow. They'll probably won't track us for half a day at least."

"You're amazing, you actually thought all through that far?"

"Well, they assume we're just dumb little kids so It wasn't that hard to get around them." Lelouch affirmed, basking in the midday sun, "But, when you told me you had plenty of driving experience I didn't think it was all from video games!" He complained next, throwing a judging glare at his friend.

Suzaku quickly pouted, "So what? I drove the car alright, didn't I?"

"Hmph! You really are totally reckless, you know that?" The prince pointed out, shaking his head shortly before chucking at craziness of it all.

Soon enough, his friend joined in at the fun and the two shared a laugh together under the healthy winds of the mountain, a refreshing view for all to see…

* * *

"Ah, they did it!" Tianzi meekly cheered on that, content on their success. She was rather immersed in the prospect of watching the past in such manner. It was all indeed a big form of entertainment to her. A slice-of-life show in some manner...

Nunnally as well sounded happy, "My, my... All brains, no sport. And to think he carried me out everywhere..." She affirmed with joyful embarrassment, "_Oh well, at least he had you to help him out there._"

"**...**"

"_That said, that was still rather reckless of your two_." Pinched the brunette at the silent masked man, "_Setting explosion at midday, driving a mountainous road at high speeds. I know you two meant well going after the poor bird but even so, wasn't there any better plan other than this crazy detour?_"

And hearing it all in, Suzaku mentally nodded along, reminiscing at that time. The words that were said brought much dissonance in his heart. The two of them, working together… It cannot be denied that when it comes to a shared goal, together they could conceive it guaranteed. Each one had the skills to cover the other. One's strength and the other's intelligence. But such notion only worked when they trusted each other to the core, friends who carried no doubt in their hearts…

In a way, Suzaku would miss this. He no longer had the cover of a friend on his back to guide his path anymore now that Lelouch is dead. Such was the feeling of longing that surfaced in the masked man that by the time he realized it, Suzaku felt somewhat scared. He had to remind himself that both of them are dead, that both cast themselves away for a greater cause, both carrying on through a greater deed… That past he seeing and feeling here is gone. It is but a memory now.

"(_A good memory at least..._)"

Alas, for all the good moments the show of the two children was to the rest of royalty, the very remaining kin of Lelouch tried to watch all of this bright resolution with a torch of pragmatism…

"Hmm… A bit bold on execution, but still effective." Cornelia commented for herself, avoiding any personal judgement on mind. Doing so left her strained though, reluctance returning in full force. It seems that even after eight months, it took some effort for the warrior princess to ignore her dead brother's deeds later in life and find something positive to lean on.

"I disagree, my lady. That was far too dangerous for the both of them." Guilford retorted taking a breath, "Just imagine the amount of trouble they would get if this was done in Britannia..."

"Yes, I know. Still, I can't help but to acknowledge how happy Lelouch was in such freedom. He looks so innocent back then."

"Ah, I see..."

"(_Yet that same freedom and innocence blinded him of his peril._)" Schneizel added in his mind, listening in on the two, "(_So desperate you were to embrace this naive life that you have forgotten your own struggle, Lelouch. A lesson well paid in kind I assume..._)"

* * *

Not that they could ever have known… Indeed, troubles aside, the two children just continued there, glancing at their future with growing resolve. Both Britannian and Japanese had their dreams to accomplish, and only now they were realizing what kind of ambition it would take to do so.

"You know Lelouch, I was thinking… When we work together, there's nothing in the whole world we can't do." Suzaku started with a affirmation, sitting down edge of the vista, watching the distant horizon.

"Heh, that's stupid." Lelouch retorted at first, mildly considering the contrary, "Still, I'd like to think it's true..."

"You know it's true..."

And thinking it through, the prince wondered much, "Suzaku, are you going to be Prime Minister like your father?" He asked vaguely.

The Japanese heir, somewhat assuming what he was on about, proposed, "If I do, you can become the Emperor."

That widened Lelouch's eyes for a second, "That's impossible, I lost my claim to the Imperial Throne." He dismissed outwardly, his mind wavering within.

"I'll help you!" Suzaku however insisted, which dug down into the prince's hope.

"...Really? You mean that?" Lelouch knew it was a pointless declaration in some way, his pessimistic mentality always holding strong in heart. But even so... To have a someone hoping for him in this manner...

"I just told you. There's nothing we can't do if we're together."

Truly, the prince felt a little touched, "Yeah… Maybe you're right." He just accepted it, basking in the warmth that was their friendship.

"Great, it's settled. You're going to be Emperor with my help!" Declared the young Japanese heir, standing up to his feet.

Real or not, the reality of it can be challenged later. Lelouch could only be glad to have met someone like him, "Thanks, then I'll help you to become-" Yet, before he could repay the hospitality that the Japanese boy had shown to him, his words were interrupted.

"...!?"

"...!"

An loud booming noise, akin to far screeching thunder had startled him shut. The winds seemed to flare right after, scaring the birds away into flight all the way through the whole forest and the ground seemed to shake, leaving an impression impossible to miss from where they stood...

"W-what was that?" The young Britannian asked, confused and scared.

Disturbed, the two looked around searching for the source as it still continued flaring, the sound faint but uniform, echoing repeatedly from a distant place.

"That way… I hear something strange from that way." Suzaku pointed outwardly, hearing it sharp across the varying slopes, "Towards the town."

"Let's check it out." And with anxiousness mixed with curiosity taking over, Lelouch became methodical once more, unwrapping a large piece of paper from one of his bags, "...According to this terrain map, we should get a view of the town if we cross over the north-northwest slope." He affirmed, reading the whole thing through in single glance.

"Gotcha." The young heir then picked the direction and led on. They ran north as fast as they could, eventually emerging into a whole field of sunflowers in the left before reaching into a steep cliff on top of the mountain. Suzaku climbed it easy, strong and fit as he naturally was for his age. Lelouch however couldn't do it as easy, needing the help of his friend climb up to edge so that the could end up in the other side of the vista.

From there, what they saw next shocked the two with fear…

Fire; smoke; bursts of explosions; snaps, gunfire, and trails of light; all of this covered the whole town that was laid on siege before them...

"L-Lelouch, those are-!"

"Britannians..."

Indeed, all around Mount Fuji that was visible in the distance, a myriad of dark ominous shadows encroached all around the natural landmark, advancing in a tidal wave looming from the skies. Lelouch and Suzaku could only stand there and watch as Britannian aircrafts raze the city all the way through the whole horizon, dropping bombs; soldier personnel in parachutes; and giant humanoid machinations known only to a few back that in that very age... Knightmares.

Later down in life, the two kids would understand what had happened in full back then, for this day was August 10, the day the Holy Britannian Empire declared war upon Japan.

And for them, it was the day that joyful, endless summer, came to a close…

* * *

Safe to say it, the sight of the main Japanese city burning with explicit display did spark quite the shocking reaction among the crowd of the future. Suddenly, the atmosphere around the jury audience became oppressive, the fury of judgement about to escape out into the open on the dark end of this session…

The Britannians among them lost their word, able only to look among themselves and down as they were, albeit indirectly, crushed by the looming shadow of Japanese who now had drown themselves in anger, mourning and unburied contempt.

"Why?" Was the first whisper to escape and break cold of silence.

It belonged to the one side of the table that didn't partake in this revealing ending…

"Why did that happen? Why did they do this?" Tianzi, the young Empress of China, a sheltered soul whose heart wanted wonder, asked a question with dread in her mind. She followed Lelouch's young adventure with nothing but curiosity, watching through his eyes as he explored and lived in a entire other portion of the world beside his own home in what she believed to be an adventure. At this point, much of what she was told about him was forgotten in the favor of seeing him a new light, a hope of sorts in a life she never knew, even going as far as to enjoy his last moments of happiness…

And yet, ignorant of political mayhem that surrounds her, she could only grasp what little she understood to question why that happened now, why was that world, the happy past of japan, now being burned to the ground by the Britannians.

"Xingke… Why is this happening?" She pleaded for her beloved protector with eyes glittering as they wavered under the pressure.

And being addressed directly, the genius sword of china could only remain thoughtful, working his mind to weave an answer simple enough for his protegee to understand…

"It is happening because of greed." He spoke stridently, his voice echoing alone in the halls of the dream, "The greed of a very bad man who sought nothing but domination… It is written in history Jiang, the tale of a soul who lost its way. And it all started in August 10, with Britannia's declaration of war." Xingke affirmed with a clear tone.

That however seemed only to confuse the little Empress, "I… I don't understand. Is this about that scary man Kaguya told me?" She inquires, remembering her friend's words of the dreaded man of the golden throne who happens to be Lelouch's father.

"Hmm, in part… But the tale goes further than that." Xingke then closes his eyes for a second before continuing, "Lelouch's father was a man of greed as well, opulent just like the eunuchs who groomed you to take our country for themselves. There is much I could tell you on why did all of that had happened but that would take entire days on it's own for me to explain..."

"Oh..."

"Worry not, your majesty, I could introduce you to some history books for you to understand if you wish." Xianglin offered in consolation.

Not that the distraction worked the slightest. Still distraught, Tianzi just nodded and reserved herself silently, basking the present of the two who looked out for her among the sea of anger and depression…

However, for the bright exchange the three had together, the darkness around still lurked around, now seeking to haunt them.

"Tch, why don't you just tell her straight? We all know what happened there." Sprouted the throat of Tamaki, the boisterous black knight who still dresses as a freedom fighter rather than a disciplined veteran of the war, "That midget and his father played us all for fools. He tricked the Prime Minister with that fancy words of his to drop Japan's guard!"

His accusing words echoed in the courtroom, drawing the eyes all who heard as he glared them straight...

"_O-oi, Tamaki!_", "_What you're doing!? That's your boss you're yelling at!_"

"So what!? It's the truth!" He defended, ignoring the whims of his companions, "We all know what happened! We lived through it!"

Safe to say it, that raised quite the shock among the crowd. That is not an light declaration after all...

"Shinichirō Tamaki, you..." Uncertain of how to react, the Holy Swordwoman Chiba almost fell into military doctrine of reprimand only to be stopped by a grasping hand on her shoulder.

It was Todoh, glaring with a firm expression onward to the stage, "He… He does have a point." Declared the hawkish warrior of the old JFL, "We know not what transpired between Lelouch and the Prime Minister as of yesterday..." He reinforced, dragging out an dangerous implication to give it fuel to the fiery discussion.

Reading him through, disbelief crossed Kaguya's head, "Wait, you actually think he played a hand in that? As a child!? That's… That is..." _Ridiculous_, is what she wanted to say. But then again, given the things she herself has saw and witnessed, it was a hard to come up with something, "E-Even then! Risking his sister like that, or Suzaku! Isn't that bit unlikely!?"

"How can we know for sure? Perhaps it's because of his sister being risked in a forced marriage that he did it. To save her and himself, from both his own father and Genbu." The old soldier argued, with an eye of attention, "Not to mention that the Witch was there as well. We all saw it nights ago… The Demon's accomplice, still clearly young as we seem it. Who knows what truly occurred in the shrine if she was around."

Speculations then ran wild at the suspicion of Lelouch's possible manipulation of Japan highest political authority, all to break his sister away from Genbu's own machinations. Indeed, this was quite the thought. Those who didn't knew history, could only listen. Those who did, dreaded the idea…

Could it be? Could that boy in his infancy sold his soul for power that early on? Was he so scared of the circumstances that he would lie in straight face and go that far to save his only kin? Or did he wish to only save his skin instead and forsake everything? What of his last reaction right there? What it really hope that he salvaged from Suzaku's words? Or was the guilt of his actions escaping into the surface as he tried to hide it?

"So he complied with his father in the end..." Ohgi stared at the stage, having his own epiphany, "He did exactly what the Emperor wanted, make the prime minister and his son into puppets to make way for Britannia!" He reasoned, frothing visibly.

"No… No! Lelouch wouldn't go that far!" Kallen shouted back, rejecting the notion in Lelouch's defense, "He had noble goals way back then! He was friends with Suzaku, he fought for his sister and for Japan! You saw the memory! He was just as surprised as Suzaku was when Britannia attacked!"

But for all her attempts, she was fiercely challenged…

"Stop it, Kallen!" The new Prime Minister retorted, now getting passionate. Ohgi's face was strained, dragged into the guilt of having to argue with his old friend's sister, someone who is practically his very own sibling even now, "That doesn't dismiss him from doing it only to save his own skin! Remember what has done to us! To japan as a whole! He lied, and tricked and used us! He led many of our warriors and civilians to their deaths! He manipulated us all!"

"No!… That was... That was..."

"Remember Naoto, Kallen. Remember what we have fought for. All that we endured, all that we struggled. It might as well started there, by Lelouch's own hands..." He continued, "You think it's impossible? Do you really? Look around us. Look at the stage, this dream, this… Nightmare! We have all witnessed our fair share of miracles by now. Geass is a fucking thing after all..."

"…"

With rugged breath, only silence remained in the broken ruins that served as the courtroom...

Ohgi had delivered quite the rant there, something rather unusual to be witnessed given what he is known for. However, for all his patience and compassion, even he had his limits. The wounds of the war dug deep, the memories of what he dealt with when fighting for justice still beat vivid in his heart. It's only fair that some could understand what he felt since many around him also were there as well, shedding their blood for a cause...

"Hmph. Why is this even a argument to begin with?" Questioned a new voice out loud.

It was Cornelia, stepping up to fan the dying fire right then and there. Being one of the confirmed Britannians who did participate in the slaughter of the Japanese at some point, the stares intensified deeply, but the warrior princess cared not for them, "It's all too clear to me now. While I confess that I never expected to know how it began, there's no denial of this. My little brother had stained himself with forbidden power right there, all the way back at this time. This is the rise of Demon Emperor as we know it, with his cruel legacy being thrown at our very hands..." She affirmed in her stance, leaving no doubt for discussion.

"..."

Then again, that of course, was meant only for those who knew the whole thing, those who knew the context of Lelouch's nature, which means...

"Wow, wow, wow… Hold on, what are you guys even on here?" In a strange notion of the mood, Rivalz chose this moment to try clarify the sheer confusion that he was into after hearing all the angry shouts throw around, "What did Lelouch do? I'm kinda lost here..."

"..."

Not answering right away however, they all looked at him there and wondered, judging his weight in the scale of things, only to determine his very innocence and irrelevance on the matter. Truly, the young student of the Ashford Academy was just an ignorant of the events at large. They couldn't just open their mouth and explain the insanity intricacies of Lelouch's horrible deeds, be they factual or perceived, real or supernatural.

They didn't want to kill the good image the teen might still have for his dead friend, so they opted for ignoring him...

"Come on, can anyone explain? Kallen? Nina? Nunnally? Anyone?" Rivalz called for names, looking them out, one by one, who just turned their heads away to look away. None would address him directly.

"Forget it, Rivalz..." Yet, in a grasp of his shoulder, Milly gave him a sad attention, "This is some serious stuff here. I don't think they'll talk just yet. Leave it be for now..." She advised with serious expression, rare occurrence in her otherwise cheerful attitude.

"Oh… Okay... I guess..."

With that, a manner of friction sprout among the student council who now felt out-of-place there, surrounded by a mist of sadness in a dream that seemly didn't just end yet…

"Hm… This is curious." Anya whispered by her lone self to the few who could hear her, "What do you think of this, Jeremiah? I'm also confused…" She affirmed, somewhat annoyed at notion of what was said. She didn't know Lelouch too well to understand all the anger thrown around.

"Hmm..." Being addressed at, the Loyal Orange Knight has his closed eyes twitching under all the accusations blasted at his young master. At first glance, he wanted to defend Lelouch with all the fervor of his being but could not do so. Being given the will of the Emperor through the Zero Requiem, his only option was to restrain himself in order to preserve the wishes of his master.

"Jeremiah?"

"There's nothing to think of it, Anya. Either His Majesty did it or not, it doesn't matter." He answered forthright, "I'm sure he had his reasons, all for a good cause."

"But what if he did it?" Sayoko sprout next, her eyes closed in a surprising contemplation, "What if he _did_ get the power needed to manipulate the Prime Minister and shift the odds in Britannia's favor? Would you still follow him? Accept his deeds despite the cost?" She questioned, now giving him a stare of indifferent scrutiny, not denigrating her fellow partner per se, but still judging him straight at word. To one's eyes, this is the kind of glare puts a shiver on one's back, testing his values and principles on spot…

Not that Jeremiah feared it, "Of course! Such is the path of chivalry." He declared, crossing his arms tightly.

"I see..." From that, Sayoko then nodded and kept herself reserved, much for the chagrin of Anya from the two. While somewhat appealed by the anger of her fellow kin, the disciplined maid could understand the frustrations echoing around. The past has gotten under their skins, stirring old grudges into the surface. It's only obvious that given all that her master has done, they would still let their emotions mix together like this. It is a sad moment, that's for sure, but even though they accept it, Lelouch has paid for his mistakes with blood. And for that, his honor was unstained in the end. That much, Sayoko believed.

Thus, unlike the rest of the jury, Lelouch's confidants reserved their faith alone in the cesspool of growing hatred…

"_Fufufufu..._" Until an mocking snicker echoed in the ruins, "Well, isn't this another conundrum?"

Schneizel as usual, in his pristine, charismatic stride, just enjoyed the turmoil of the crowd, "Frankly, what a bland conclusion. This court seems rather biased around my brother's little circle…" He affirmed with taunting grace, waving an hand all around him, "Those he fought for, those he fought against, those he lived with… It's all so dramatic and tragic, a theater show in on itself."

"..." Whatever his intention was, the fallen prince truly received all the angry glares. Yet, none said a word in contempt. They were trying to see his point...

"But I digress, none of it is my taste really, especially when it concerns such old history..." The man declares, "That said, I can't help but notice it. You kept your silence all the way through the end, listening the expectations of your peers and allies. Surely you have something to share about this, don't you, Zero?"

Schneizel had then, with flaring red eyes, addressed the masked hero directly, passing the spotlight with but a flicker of words as he observed…

And thrown into the fire, Suzaku's eyes frowned underneath the mask. The wild accusations that flaunted around him stirred his very heart as he remembers himself, standing there in flesh alongside Lelouch back in that very moment.

He didn't know what to think. He couldn't at first fathom that his dead friend, a child a time, was someone being capable of doing whatever treachery he heard on him and his father. Yet, at same time, when it comes to the impossible, someone like Lelouch, a man known for his charisma, fancy words and vile disposition to work his "miracles"…

Maybe it isn't far-fetched to imagine. After all, C.C was undeniably there despite all the odds… Which only reminds him was to why Lelouch died for. Suzaku had not forgotten it. He doesn't want to believe it. He really doesn't… However, just as how he learned in the hard way back Kamine Island… nay, since way back in the Special Administrative Zone of Japan even, the marks of his crimes are irrefutable, as is his resolve to mask the truth in any way, shape or form to hide it.

"Well?"

There was no other way around it then. His and Lelouch's roles are set. It is now his duty to live it again. Maybe in the end, his attempts to prevent the cursed Emperor of staining himself in even more sin was in vain. Maybe in the end, there was no hope for him at all. Lelouch might had his power all along, and used it for his own gains. And for that, the memory Suzaku believed to be good, their one summer together shared in laughter, now had to be tarnished under contempt...

"**Cornelia may be correct in what she said. This could be Lelouch's actual awakening…**" Zero declared, the echo of his voice indistinguishable from it's owner. Always forthright, always confident, "**We weren't shown the truth in detail really but both evidence and motive has been established. I won't deny the possibility of it. As far as we know, met with his own perceived injustice, it could be true. The Demon may have bared its fangs way back then and he might as well have doomed Japan just as his Father had intended him to do… It is as simple as that.**"

Thus, with his statement, nothing else needed to be said. All of this only confirms what everyone already knew. What everyone was led to believe.

Lelouch is the Demon the plagued the world since infancy, and no sad story or understanding sympathy would ever change that.

That is the terrible outcome reached by everyone from this night's session, right before it's inevitable end...

_**To be Continued...**_


	9. Stage 0,884 - Imperial Siblings

_Based of the Audio Drama of same name..._

**Stage 0.884 - Imperial Siblings**

New Pendragon… The seat of Britannia's reigning power. It is essentially a ramshackle of a city still going on reconstruction, with panels of steel blocks covering the whole vicinity of what remained of the old city, or rather, the crater from where the old city once was, the only mark left by the now lost yet still fearsome might of an F.L.E.I.J.A warhead.

Truly, the view of this rebuilding work actually paints the image of what remained of Britannia after the Tyrant's Dominion. What was once the world's most feared Holy Empire now was naught but a Mundane Realm, a place where the clearly defined socials classes of nobles, peasants and those in between are compelled to work together in a common goal to preserve what glory and honor is left of their heritage while striving to create a better future, one that surpasses and maybe cleanses the stain left by the now fallen Demon Emperor.

Alas, for all the gloom and doom that some still feel for what had come to them, the sense of duty and the will to serve still reigned strong among the Britannian Population. And under the leadership of both Empress Nunnally and the now Regent Princess Cornelia, the ever strong discipline of the militaristic Empire was directed to a brighter path, focused on their wish to work towards penance and peace.

Or at least, that's how it seem to look like in distant glance...

"Well? Have you found anything of worth?"

Exercising all her effort in hand, one warrior princess glares at her subjects with unaimed contempt…

"No, my lady. The remains of His Majesty chambers are gone, completely disintegrated alongside the former palace. We've spent the entire week searching as you requested but there's nothing left but dust."

"Tch… I see." Cornelia was angry, angry at the many fallen attempts to get hold of what is going on around her, "Go back to your previous duties..."

"Yes, your highness!"

After long confirming the reality of the whole King's Court debunkle, the Witch of Britannia had a hard time accepting that the threat of geass over the world was not truly over yet...

She has gone far and wide to resume her search for the curse's existence, going through ancient relics that her father sought and kept, reading on the foregone knowledge left by whatever civilization that has succumbed by this evil taint, all to find more answers and seek a solution to what is perceived as a looming threat, one lurking right within the corners of her mind.

However, for all her efforts, the results so far were all but null and void in the current stage. Whereas her assets are still working beside the U.F.N selected scientists to try reach some breakthrough on the archeological studies of the ruins, progress was going slow.

Too slow for her taste...

"Damn you, Schneizel!" Cornelia cursed, remembering what her brother had done to their capital city, bombarding Pendragon for no other reason other than setting up an stage to the world and freeing the city's entire population, including several if not almost all of her siblings, from geass through instant fiery death.

Now, while she would consider such feat a regrettable last resort bordering on madness, Cornelia has realized how much she, and the whole world by extension, have lost with the destruction of the royal palace in one go. In fact, the very things she needed right now just vaporized into nothingness along with whatever secrets that laid there. And what's worse, as turns out, geass CAN be broken, a reality she failed explore in the salvation of her people if it wasn't for Schneizel's insanity.

Of course, given its her father's chambers that she is pursuing, let it be said that the warrior princess would never dwell into such abominable curse directly. The risks were too great true, but she nonetheless hoped that the extensive knowledge of geass could help her deal with this present mayhem of today.

That said, on the other hand though, Cornelia also had to admit that maybe the outcome of her insane brother was for the better in one way. With the ruins gone, he and no one else would be able to stain their hands and doom their souls with such poisonous power so easily. If anything, the world is better off not knowing what dreaded fate could be unleashed if such thing fell in the wrong hands again…

Ultimately however, the situation doesn't change. Several important heads of today's global nations are under the chains of someone's hand, their dreams, their very souls, dragged into some manipulative realm that is tied to her demonic brother, a haunting joke mocking their existence from his coffin. Yes, the King's Court infuriated Cornelia in it's insidiousness. The puppeting hands of an strange entity she can't understand nor fight directly unnerved the warrior princess to no end. She is powerless in that realm, bearing no weapon or frame, her very clothing serving to fit an image of her old self, that long gone knight uniform, a sight of honor reduced to just a costume. At this point, she almost felt jealous of the traitor knight Jeremiah with that wrist blade of his.

"*sigh* and I still followed through it regardless..."

Then again the truth was too enticing to let go. After all, who doesn't want justice for a fallen beloved? The Warrior Princess certainly does it. She let herself be caught under her emotions only to realize too late what manner of mayhem she was caught into. There's just no point to complain.

Limited to her wits, some few allies, and the word of a vigilante hero ensuring their safety, the nature of her dreams surely eluded Cornelia in her straightforwardness. If anything, her only choices so far was to lay low and listen, observe and collect intel to harshly make use of it during the moments she is awake, moments like these, to reflect her options.

And oh listened she has, following the meek adventures of her brother after the loss of Lady Marianne...

"Lelouch..." After everything that has been seen, Cornelia didn't know what she felt about her fallen sibling. Or rather, she couldn't decide on a proper stance when seeing him on her dreams. On one side, the memory of Euphie and the horrible deeds he caused with that one glowing eye of his... They still shook the warrior princess down to the core, sparking a burning anger against him for all the bloodshed he caused.

But, at same time, the feeling of pity, of despair, or regret even, after learning why he resorted to such things, to sell his very soul for power due to the fear from the world that has turned against them... Cornelia couldn't deny that everything is as tragic as it can get, for his darkness was only truly born due to the choice of a desperate child that was abandoned by his very father, all in the attempt to protect his only sister in a country he didn't even knew about.

Indeed, seeing Lelouch in his young age going through the struggles of tending Nunnally, smearing his face into mud for her, taking in the pain from those who disregarded his existence… It is all too similar to her own affection for Euphemia both in life and demise. After all, fearing whatever intrigue loomed over them in the Royal Court, there is no wonder how both of them thought the same, seeking to shield their beloved from harm and manipulation.

Through this, recalling yesterday's resounding discussion of Britannia's first invasion of japan, a part of Cornelia wondered inwardly for some innocence in part of her little brother, mild as it was to even imagine it…

Maybe it was a only a folly of his part. Maybe Lelouch in a way just made a wrong decision as a child, a most horrible one, a choice that would consume him as the ages go on, leading him to forsake his friends, to forsake Nunnally and the rest of the world along with it. Maybe, in some little minuscule form, he had regretted it, thinking only in how that was his only solution, before seeing the futility of it… Cornelia wishes to believe that, she wants to believe these things to be true. It was a raw hope, a feeling she rarely held close when trying to see the good in people.

However, even so, in her disciplined mindset, drilled with pragmatism and cynicism wrought and proven by war, it refused to agree that chance and circumstance alone had anything to do with it, that this very hope had any worth at all. In fact, such hopes had betrayed her before, the dreams of a better morning often crushed by reality. Cornelia knew this very well.

She had to admit it. In the end, Lelouch made the choice to acquire geass, and the world suffered for it…

* * *

Sadly alas, though few would ever know or believe, the world wasn't the only one who did suffer…

Lelouch stared absently into the horizon of the dimension he laid in, his eyes going through his judge, through the white halls laid behind her, and through all the oblivion of what he believes to be the afterlife waiting all around him.

He looked distraught, defeated, disarmed…

"**So there it begins, your perceived future shattered into pieces.**" The judge addresses him, "**Your past had caught up with thee, and after the brief moment of peace, the shadow of your father loomed over, his ambition given firm expression and form.**"

At her words, the Fallen Emperor chuckles in regard, carrying this brooding echo in his throat, "Yes… That's surely how it looked. Father really did show his uncaring love through war back then." He expresses, the tone spilling contempt at every word when remembering the bloody scene of smoke, fire and horror in the first moments of Britannia's invasion, "Heh, I guess I was wrong in the end..."

"**Hmm?**"

"Me and Suzaku, thinking that we were smarter than everyone else." Lelouch explained, "It was childish mistake I suppose, but it cost us dearly. Just the fact that I couldn't fathom what was coming… The things I could have said to the Prime Minister..."

Reading him through, the judge looked solemn, "**You regret the loss of time in that infancy…**" She reasoned, "**You judge that wasting what little freedom you had playing, learning, and enjoying life by itself clouded your reality, making you forget what was important.**"

"Yeah..." Nodded the fallen Emperor consenting. Lelouch glanced the at memory shown before him, watching the past in full, and all he could see was mistakes, his vain choice to dare hope for a future after living a good life beside Suzaku, "It's the same errors I did living my life carelessly back home. Carrying on, blind to everything around me. Treating the political war as a game."

"**...**"

"Heh… History repeats itself, just like you said…" He confessed carrying no remorse, "Britannia came to conquer, and there little I could do but to watch as they slaughter the entire country to settle their domain." Lelouch spat smiling visibly while the eyes get dull, "Such is our ways."

Hearing that, the judge's eyebrow lifted, "**A blatant admission.**"

And Lelouch just nodded, "Why yes, isn't that what you want?" He provoked, obviously not caring for the response. At this point, the Demon Emperor tried to avoid hearing it, the fear getting through him, "Hmph… Speaking of conquer, I wonder who led the invasion at the Shrine. I actually don't remember discovering that detail back then..."

"**Ah, the soul who wielded the sword and reaped the lives. A mystery indeed...**" The woman creature added ominously, playing along.

"Hmph, my first assumption would be an sibling of mine." Accused the Dead Emperor, "Someone desperate to find me (_Or maybe C.C even, given she was around_), so much so that considering what field day the soldiers were having it on the slaughter, I would think it was someone particularly bloodthirsty and ruthless."

"**You suspect your own blood?**"

"Why not? It is the most logical to assume so. Maybe Cornelia did it, or Carine, or Clovis, heh perhaps even Schneizel in his plotting ways, maybe to go on and try _rescue me_ from the damnable numbers of Japan..." Lelouch considered many things, with some suggestions being so bold that he almost sought to laugh at the bland ideas going on his mind, "But then again, who knows really? Father might as well have sent one his Knights of Round to do the job. Luciano, Bismarck, Monica… That man and his immortal brother had no shortage of puppets to use and burn."

"**...**"

Met with silence however, the Fallen Emperor was getting anxious once more, "Oh well… My lovely siblings… Sometimes I wonder, what did they think of it when that happened? What did they think of my fate while living their lives in luxury? Good? Bad? Pitiful? Or were they just sad?" He proposed, half asking it to the creature before him, half to himself as to try calm down the nerves, a distraction tactic of sorts.

The judge then, listening him utter empty in self-derision, finally seem to speak, "**Nothing is absolute, Accursed One. Nothing ever it what it seems… You may see or hear reality from many perspectives, but never can you know what lays in the minds of others.**"

Lelouch heard he strange words and blinked, "(_Oh really? And what say that about yourself reading my mind, or Mao even?_)" He mentally retorted, bracing himself for some rebuke.

The woman however just smiled, "**Though not part of your life in on itself, I'll let you indulge into an a curious rare truth.**" The creature proposed, her swaying hand molding reality to reveal a different stage, "**Gaze upon the memory of your siblings, and see it for yourself what you desire to know...**"

* * *

Following the revelation of yesterday, the Court jury arrives in silence, still oppressed by an aura of depression, mourning and contempt emanating around the Japanese from the loss they suffered. Simply so, the members just strode in and took their spots, keeping their thoughts in check in respect for their fellows.

Of Lelouch and what he might have done, consenting reasons varied. After a day to cool their heads and consider what they had learned, many took their own sides on the matter while evading any kind of discussion to just settle down the silence among them...

There are those who believed it was ridiculous to accept that Lelouch, being but a clearly prodigious yet still naive child at time, could have done the horrible thing of manipulating the Prime Minister in any way, geass or not. This is either because they believed the stage session didn't reveal the truth completely, or it is due to some still believing the Dead Emperor's infant innocence, be it through loyalty; family; friendship; or at very least, the sheer confusion of the accusation itself given Lelouch's own hatred of his father.

And opposing them, stood the silent cynics, the pragmatic realists who, after witnessing the impossible far too many times in their lives, feared dearly the power behind the mystery that is geass. Truly, just the merest possibility of a certain Witch being seen lurking around the one boy that would grow to become the Demon Emperor raised many MANY alarms. Couple that, with what wasn't properly shown in Lelouch's unseen interactions with the Prime Minister and there you have it, the perfect recipe of disaster… Or, as Lelouch himself would call it, a "miracle", one so that he could escape from both sides of the war, lest the Japanese intended to use/hand over him or his sister. After all, with the invasion made manifest, what use would Genbu have for the children?

But of course, that in on itself isn't much evidence of any crime. Lelouch's motives for doing such deed are only speculations at best, the judgments of his character being based only in future events. If anything, none can deny that their accusations are a result of well placed paranoia...

In either case, one question does remain though: Is Lelouch truly innocent as a youngster? That is certainly a wonder…

...

"**August 10...**" A voice echoes from nowhere, drawing the attention of all, "**The day that the Holy Britannian Empire declared war upon Japan…**" It is clear that this is the judge, marking her presence in.

However, she would not form herself right away to the jury, leaving the stage bright with a slideshow of sorts...

"**The Far East island nation had held fast to its neutrality, and now Britannia looms as the world's only superpower. Rights to Japan's underground resources became a hotly disputed issue, straining the already deep-rooted diplomatic tensions between the two sides...**"

And as if to make her point across, the reality of the invasion is revealed to the Court, taunting them to even more thoughts and feelings of anger just from showing the imagery of the past...

"**In the deciding battle for the mainland, Britannian forces introduced into combat the humanoid autonomous armored knights known as Knightmare Frame. The enemy's forces were far greater than anticipated, and the Knightmares obliterated the Japanese line of defense on the mainland with little effort…**"

Whatever her intention was, showing the truth or not, the manifested speech captivated the jury, who watched the long obsolete tanks of old being obliterated by fast moving, black painted Glasgows.

"**Japan became a dominion of the Empire. The country was stripped of its freedom, its rights, and its name…**"

The shock image of defeat, oppression and slavery over ruins was imprinted upon them with perfect clarity. The sight of Japan's banner consumed and replaced by the Imperial Insignia, the technological might of the Empire addressing the land in new designation…

"**Area 11... The defeated and once proud nation of Japan was rechristened with a mere number...**"

The narration was short, but message was passed: The unveiled past was a harsh reality to accept.

"**But… What fate would befell it afterwards?**" Came the woefully sudden question next, "**Who would reign it over after it's occupation?**"

Many would blink their eyes once, processing it for a second. Yet, before a soul could answer the obvious, the stage took form once more...

* * *

**Stage 0.884 - Imperial Siblings**

The scenery was far different from most all of past sessions now. The humble yet beautiful green pastures and forests of Japan shifted away to make away for a lustrous garden to form, a sanctuary of sorts, forming life with flowers and bright earth gleaming into view, all surrounded by marble columns in what looks like to be a glowing mansion, a Britannian-styled Mansion. Truly, with such imperialist appearance, impeccable and polished to the letter, the architecture of the mighty Empire was recognizable by glance. It is a sight that none can deny in it's reflecting beauty.

However, for all it's glory, the three souls who laid in this very stage draw all eyes to attention.

There, a young teenager, running in her whitish pink dress, laughed happily as she was chased by some playful dog. At ease, her strong pink hair swayed around freely, illuminated by the sun as it goes down, smearing itself on the green garden when she fell in mirth.

There was no mistake as to who she was...

"Euphie is growing so much. How old is she now?"

"She'll be thirteen this year, Schneizel."

Watching over the girl, the other two, both young adults, sat together around a table underneath the garden's cross-section.

The first is a gallant of a man who enjoyed his tea in perfect controlled glamour. He portrayed a rather fair skin, blond in hair, with pair of violet eyes that were practically gemstones in how they shined in amethyst. His tall gait, towering in presence, just imposed this prince-like royal aura he carried from wearing such purple tunic, trimming in gold just under the white overcoat on his neck.

Young Schneizel wouldn't flaunt it but his vanity was practically natural in form, "She has grown quite lovely, hasn't she?"

"Heh, no, she still very much like a child." Retorted his company in good sport.

"Ah yes, especially compared to the resplendent Goddess of the Battlefield Princess Cornelia."

And in proper praise, the adult woman before him really looked up to her title. Young Cornelia presented herself as a steadfast guardian, clad in a styled silver uniform, fixed in it's tight yet maneuverable design. Certain plates of steel could be seen in some layers, rigid in form but still flexible and fashionable to look at, giving her the fitting look of a knight on it own, which is only enchanted by the velvet cloak laid over the shoulders and the fixed sword on the belt.

Such is the beauty of a warrior princess, not that Cornelia saw herself in that way, "Hn, you flatter me too easily, brother." Rather, she denies it sheepishly.

This how the very scene was set. Three royal siblings, having out a good time in one pristine garden...

* * *

The sight of this didn't go unnoticed of course. While the presences of Schneizel and Cornelia in their younger times was a interesting change, all eyes truly fell upon the one Princess that isn't among them, a princess whose bright smile brought memories of nostalgia, dread and even mourning from those who recognized her...

"M-my Lady, that is-"

"Euphie!"

Cornelia couldn't help but to call her name, eyes trembling from the presence of her beloved sister. She could only shiver at it, recalling how her bloodied form was found in the medical chambers, how her cleaned form was fixated in her coffin, smiling through it all was she draw her last breath…

Indeed, at that very moment, the known Regent of Britannia, the once Witch and Goddess of the Battlefield, let tears stream down freely from merely seeing the living and moving face of a younger Euphemia. It took Guilford holding her very arm around her in comfort to prevent her from just weeping so openly in presence of the rest of the jury. And fortunately, in respect for her, most of said crowd just left her be, reserving their thoughts to themselves.

"Oh?"

Amidst them, Schneizel was captivated by sight of himself. He vaguely remembers what conversation went back in that time as it wasn't much of a strong memory to him. Then again, going by what that judge woman presented in her narration, it didn't take long for him to guess what she sought to reveal.

"(_How pointless..._)" He considered, almost sighing out in boredom. Truly, this King's Court business was as stagnant as it can get for someone like him...

That said, Schneizel couldn't deny everything though. Seeing Euphemia there was a… curious feeling, to put into words. Despite what many would consider, the fallen prince does care of his very siblings, Euphie and Lelouch included. He may disagree intently with their naive, simple minded ideals but they were dear to him nonetheless, innocent and well intended in their own ways.

Not that it changes the stupidity of their actions of course…

"Oh boy..." Meanwhile, among the student council, Gino observed how his teammates reacted to the image of the dead princess. He himself had heard the tales and actions of the so called Massacre Princess. He didn't have much of an opinion to it considering the known ruthlessness of Britannia as a whole but he was curious of everyone else.

Rivalz and Milly for instance looked reserved, still mindlocked after the whole mess of yesterday. As for Kallen who stays over the corner, she looks conflicted, her face frowning into some anger alongside an clear hesitation, which wasn't that much different compared to the rest of the Japan dignitaries as everyone expressed their contempt clearly, all for obvious reasons of course.

And then, there was Nina…

"Uh, are you okay?"

"I'm fine..." She spurted hesitantly, "I'm… Fine..."

"Huh... You don't look fine to me." Gino retorts with blatant honesty. He sounded brunt by the tone of it but his face was stern and straight. Seeing one of his teammate shiver with such unnatural bout of interest and restraint wasn't a comforting sight.

"Eh? No… No I just..." Confronted, Nina tried to deny it, shaking her head and looking away. Yet, her broken and distraught face was clear to everyone to see, her feelings shocking her deep inside from seeing Euphemia being fully exposed. It came all at once... The Yearning; Longing; Admiration; Shock; Panic; Despair; Mourning; All mixed inside in a twisting, chaotic conflict.

"Hmm… Okay then, If you say so." Gino reacted, nodding himself out. Nina then blinked and glance at him confused and disturbed, "This is another of these serious things Milly spoke, right?" He added in response.

It took some seconds for her to understand it but eventually, a small smile marked her face, "Yeah..."

Silence then installed itself among them, giving this small amount of reverence to the still image of Euphemia, a moment of respect so to say, to her memory.

"I loved her..."

"Huh?"

"I loved her… The princess." Nina confessed out of blue, "She was my hero, my first... crush."

Listening in, Gino glanced at her with some surprise. While the revelation was a bit sudden, it eased his mind, putting a smile in the former nobleman's face, "I see..." And so he leaves at that, ignoring his growing curiosity. The former knight knew when to act accordingly in times like these…

"(_Love huh?_)" He contemplated, thinking what is like it.

Alas, when it comes to love itself, none could match the fiery furnace that burned unseen to all in heart of one Suzaku Kururugi.

"(_E-Euphie..._)" He trembled, almost letting his voice escape as his gloved hands grip together in quake. Just as how it was with Cornelia, it was Nunnally who sought to secretly give him support as both just stared at the smiling form of their long gone beloved without missing a blink. It just made them remember what good memories they enjoyed together in the now gone past.

Then again, to Nunnally it may have been a brief passage, the love of sibling that was preserved in innocence. To Suzaku however, it was a whole new life and emotion that he experienced, feelings that were both lost and unburied completely…

Euphemia, his very love. To think he would ever see her smile so lively as it is shown there, from a memory from someone's past. In a way, Suzaku dreaded very much convincing everyone with his lie of this Court being planned. He feared what kind of truths he and the rest would be forced to witness. And safe to say it, while not exactly a revelation in context, the sight of Euphemia right there is quite the precedent to what is to come much later. There was no denying it now, the truth would come, sooner or later, haunting him at every second that passes. He doesn't know what to do should that time comes…

Nevertheless though, the fact is that the bright princess weighed heavily in his heart. He was reminded of what joy she brought in his life, exploring Japan together, being shown true kindness and even hearing her clear confession in midst of an battle.

Truly, the pain was too much… Too much to bear...

* * *

And just wishing it to go along, the stage flowed through, focusing into continuing from when Schneizel praised Cornelia directly...

"Hn, you flatter me too easily, brother."

"Not at all. By all accounts, your suppression of the Area 14 uprising was brilliant." The gallant prince admired, sipping his tea with glamour and charm.

But again, reacting poorly, warrior princess just dismissed it straight, "Well, they put no more resistance than anticipated..."

"..." This revealed much about her, something that just made Schneizel shrug. Cornelia wasn't one for pleasantries it seemed, "Still, I expected you to stay and be the viceroy there." He casually commented.

"That country is pacified. It no longer has the will to oppose the Empire. Anyone can run it now..." Declared the warrior princess in response, her tone unconcerned and bored. Yet, though the two looked casual to one another, there was some underlying intrigue occurring hidden in their manners...

"Cornelia, you have to leave them a little of dignity and strength to resist." Schneizel advised.

"Why do you say that?" That left Cornelia a bit curious in a raised eyebrow.

"People with broken spirits are unproductive. The will to fight is itself a resource. If you sap it completely, a Area will lose its vitality."

"Isn't better for us Britannians to bring vitality to the lands we conquer?" She argued out, not quite sure what he was on into, but not liking the lecturing tone.

"There's a limit to what we can do, that why we have the Honorary Britannian System-"

"-which blurs the line between the ruler and the ruled." She challenged next, setting her foot down by interrupting him, "If you don't keep that distinction clear, you're just inviting trouble." Easy to see, the two seemed to share some minor disagreements at one another, with Schneizel's rather pacifist and diplomatic means against Cornelia's straightforward ruthlessness.

It puts things into quite the contrast given their views...

* * *

"Ha! Piss off you bastards!" Tamaki shouted in a outburst, practically interrupting the stage itself, "Flaunting about your conquests, are you? Fucking Brits!"

The rest of his companions wouldn't agree with his choice of words but they understood the sentiment enough to not reprimand him outright this time around.

"Still, I'll admit that the honorary system is a rather ingenious ploy." Xingke comments with consenting tone, "Feeding hope with benevolence in order to exploit work morale… Rather effective."

"Hmph, that only shows how repugnant he is, luring us all into these gilded cages." Todoh counters with glaring contempt, "It is nothing but a elaborate trap to dishonor us down to the core. Make us forget who we really are."

And looking at the grim faces of the U.F.N Dignitaries, Schneizel only chucked at their opinions, "My my… Shouldn't you all be a little more grateful?" He taunted directly.

The reaction wasn't instantaneous though, for given the Britannians' silence so far, none expected an rebuke.

"What?" Ohgi uttered out disturbed.

"It's sad that none of you can see the benign effects suggested there..." Continued the fallen prince, shaking his head.

"Silence, Schneizel! Don't ignite this any further!" Cornelia chided him in anger. It was already bad that these Court dreams were branding them in a bad image and now her brother threatens what little favor Britannia has with such offensive words.

"Hm? Why would you give so much care, sister? I'm only trying to correct them." The man countered in blatant disregard, "But oh well… If you insist though..."

This of course only served to taunt their curiosity, already ticking Kaguya slightly seeing the two go on, "No, I want to hear it now. What are you talking about?" She demands, echoing everyone's question out.

"Hmph..." Schneizel then smiled. Hook, line and sinker, "The Honorary Britannian System. You call it an insidious plan meant to elude a conquered population; a exploit; an assimilation; a means for a better domination. Now, that may be true in design of course but you can't deny it's benefits in the end. Imagine my sister here, following through with the brutality she is known for… I'm pretty sure if she was the one in charge, there wouldn't be any Japanese uprising to begin with."

His words brought a discussion to those who heard it, trying to understand what he proposed. Yet, only one saw it through right away.

"I see… So that's how it is huh?" Xingke affirmed out, "You believe there wouldn't be anyone with the will to revolt if ruthless oppression was the norm."

"If they can't see a way out, yes." Schneizel nodded, "Or at very least, even if there was such will to fight left, your staunch and brave resistance, not matter how persistent or desperate, would never have that strong breath of life if it wasn't for the system filling your ranks with the deluded and the distraught. You see, It was a simple trade. Productivity with grand risks, or despair with none. And in the end, we all know how did it go..." The man concluded with confidence merely, glancing at the brooding form of Zero.

In contrast, there was worth to what he says. The leniency shown by the Britannia willing to "integrate" its conquered numbers did serve its purpose in uplifting the populace to some form of stable two-tiered society over the oppressed. Those who joined in, enjoyed what little benefits there was of being considered an honorary britannian. Those who didn't do it, or just found themselves betrayed by the system's premise, all lent their hopes and dreams to the resistances and rebellions of the land, bolstering their numbers to a degree.

It was clear what Schneizel envisioned from his poisonous words...

"I disagree!"

Yet, that didn't mean he wasn't fully challenged. Pouting outwardly, Kaguya stepped outwardly, "Japan had an fire burning long since the start. Even at our darkest moments, when we were cornered down to the core without your precious cages, we still rose from our feet to fight! I don't believe it for a second that the Honorary Britannian System would make any difference."

Roused by her stance, Ohgi recomposed from his brooding and nodded, "That's right! You underestimate us, Schneizel. You underestimate the Japanese and its strength. The system may have deceived some into a false sense of hope, but it never was the root of our revolution." He declared defiantly.

Not that it impressed the fallen prince one bit, "And yet hope was still the key of your petty resistance wasn't it, Prime Minister?" He retorted, shaking his head once more, "My point stands still if that's what you say. You gentleman are too deluded to see it."

Schneizel's views taunted the U.F.N in that minor debate. It was a impasse none could agree upon, to the point that both sides were losing patience...

"Shut up you brit scum!" Tamaki screamed back, "I'll show you what you're deluded at-"

"ENOUGH!"

But, to the surprise and shock of everyone, it was Nunnally of all people that had shouted out loud, her little frame shadowed by the guardian presence of Zero, giving her an quite the intimidating presence...

"Schneizel, refrain yourself from taunting those who are our allies in this new age. Show some respect to what they have lost!" Lectured the Empress with an rare dose of valiant dignity, rather unfitting given her known image, "Miss Kaguya, Prime Minister Kamane, forgive my brother's imprudence. Know that though his words may reflect Britannia's stance on the U.F.N, there is no excuse for an behavior such as this. On his behalf, I apologize for this offense…"

Faced with such unexpected rebuttal, the Japanese dignitaries glared in contemplation for a moment. They were unsure of what to say next.

"**Don't forget… This is the past.**" Zero added, taking the opportunity to affirm his stance, "**What is shown and discussed here comes from a time we all endured together. Don't forget that this is what we have left behind for a better future. To fret over something like this is to regress back to the age of war and oppression...**"

"..."

"**As for you Schneizel. If you threat this one peace we have...**" The masked vigilante seemed to warn in a very direct manner, as to leave no other interpretation even without the finished sentence.

Only then the fallen man lost his smug composure, "My apologies, Your Highness, Zero..." He replied with visible poison.

From this, silence reigned once more. No apologies were returned to Britannia as the discussion ended abruptly. If anything, in a unspoken agreement, they all consented that it was just better to leave this be and move on for now...

* * *

Following through, just as the two siblings finished their discussion, the younger Euphemia approached the both of them hastily. She seemed tired, sweaty and out of breath, but her vibrant beauty was still preserved in a delicate elegance before her older peers.

"Oh, you look like you're discussing something important… Am I interrupting?" She inquires with some uncertainty after noticing the frowning faces.

Schneizel then blinks once and smiles, "No, you're not interrupting at all, little one." He addresses her friendly.

"Oh! I'm not a little child anymore you know!" She pouts at his words.

Which only brought a chuckle out of him, "Of course of course, my bad."

Euphemia would then join the two there, sitting beside Cornelia as to rest slightly and also enjoy the tea. At this point, in this bit of peaceful time together, the royalty of Britannian would discuss about their future...

"Tell me Euphie, what would you do if you became a viceroy?" The gallant prince asked first, curious.

"Oh... I think I'd like to make the country a place where everyone can live happily~" Answered the bright girl, almost immediately.

Both him and Cornelia weren't expecting this answer, causing them to share amusement with mirth, "That's right, Euphie has the highest of intentions." Schneizel openly declared, seemly in her favor of a joke.

"Is that really something to laugh at?" Euphemia argued, somewhat bothered at their reaction.

"No, no, It's not bad at all." He assured in a gentle tone.

"Hmm..." Yet the young princess wasn't that convinced.

* * *

Alas, where there was laughter in the stage, only dread clouded the jury that watched it...

"(_Ah Euphie… Always wishing the best from people..._)" Suzaku reflected still stressed and relieved to hear his beloved's voice on his ears,"(_Truly, you were too good for this world… Too good for this sinful earth…_)"

And he wasn't alone on this, "(_We have made many mistakes, things we couldn't never wash our hands off..._)" Cornelia also shared the same thoughts as him, thinking nothing but goodwill of her little sister.

"(_But we have changed..._)" Not to mention Nina, who while small, managed to change the whole face of the war through her own deeds, "(_We strive for better now. We wish to preserve the future you wished to build..._)"

These three were the only ones among the few that openly embraced the vision of Euphemia in full, truly believing in what she sought, what she shed and fought for, though little, subtle or unknown to the whole world it was.

The rest of the jury however, remained drowned in the ambiguity, the mystery, and the memory of her crimes...

"(_A place where everyone can live happily huh? So says the Massacre Princess..._)" Kallen judged, remembering that one horrible day where thousands of Japan lives were reaped at once. In fact, when recalling the princess's very fate, it wasn't hard to wonder the mentality behind it all. Knowing who Lelouch is and what he's capable of, the pictured image only brings dread to those who speculated it.

"(_What was your game, Lelouch?_)" Todoh pondered in grim expression, "(_Was that truly the only way? Was that your true intention all along? To sacrifice so many of our lives?_)" There more he questioned, more bleak became his impression to the man who died the way he did, giving the world's peace in a silver platter so easily.

"(_Maybe you were cornered… Maybe it was a mistake… It has to be something like this, right!? R__ight!?_)" Even Kaguya, who weighted her mind imagining the Demon Emperor's thoughts, felt distraught at the idea of it all.

If anything, something didn't fit for all of them… Something was missing. And now that they see Euphemia expressing her well founded, yet hopelessly naive, ideals there back in her time, the prospect of learning what comes next dominated the minds of the Japanese, who wanted a more concrete answer to the mystery of the Massacre Princess...

* * *

Wonders aside, tea glasses were refilled, the tone of the sibling chat shifting at the sound of echoing spoons. Young gallant Schneizel then set forth on his next topic, his actual plan for an royal business…

"So Cornelia, I want to recommend that you become Viceroy of Area 11."

"Area 11? You mean the former Japan?"

"Yes, resistance activity is starting to heat up there. I think the assignment would suit your talents..." He explained to his sister, his tone carrying a rather serious tone this time around.

Now the warrior princess saw what he going into. It was only obvious considering who her brother is, "Schneizel, if it's possible, I'd prefer to be in charge of opening a new Area for us." Cornelia retorted, revealing her cards.

"I see…" This made the prince ponder. It seemed that his sister had long planned an life away from Britannia's court and for a good reason, "Who should we send then?" He asked forth, secretly wondered how she will have herself replaced.

"Aniel, or Oscar perhaps."

"They're going to Areas 15 and 13. That has been decided already. How about Clovis?"

"That's out of the question." His sister rejected.

That reaction appeased Schneizel's curiosity, "Hmm, but why?"

"He's too soft..." She expresses, not in bad way mind you, but with a tone of… pity.

But then again, Cornelia wasn't wrong though, "You have a point. He's not suited to run an occupation..." He had to agree.

Clovis was a man of art, of galla, a pompous noble who enjoys more attention than discipline. None of these qualities are bad per se, but as a man who enjoys life the way he does, it doesn't make him fit for a task who requires the harsher natures of domination, conquer or any other ambition both admired and necessary for leadership in Britannia's name. So, with that in mind, putting him in charge of an increasingly volatile Area such as Japan is certainly unwise.

Yet, this in turn leaves again the question: Who can handle Area 11 if not Cornelia? The Emperor demands an answer...

"Good day, brother, sister!"

"...!"

Alas, just when the siblings last expected it in this dilemma, a gentle voice joined the three siblings on their table.

"Ah, and you too Euphie~" It welcomed them, inviting and charmingly.

"Hello Clovis…" Schneizel greeted him, hiding his surprise, "_Speak of the devil…_" And he shall come, with the man in question on spot. Clovis stood forth before them in his expressive royal tunic that gleams in silver-gold, with a overcoat that almost touches the ground in this long cloth tail, all surrounded by a imposing cape over his shoulders, big, fancy, and somewhat cumbersome if you look at it...

He arrived, looking at his siblings with a pleasant smile, mirth branding his face boldly, "I heard you've returned, Cornelia. I came to welcome you."

The warrior princess however graced him back with a harsh judging expression, "As usual, you wear clothes that restrict your movements..." She mildly acknowledged, "People like you are first to die in a attack."

And reacting with clear indignation, her brother was both predictable and insufferable, "Such harsh words after we've been apart for so long! You haven't changed a bit, still all business..." He complained.

Faced with such demure, Cornelia could only shake her head, "Clovis, have you at least learned to pilot a knightmare frame?"

"I heard they've been deployed to combat lately..." The man answered, slight avoiding the question only to go on in a speech of admiration, "How long it has been since they have been demonstrated by Lady Marianne~?"

Truly, given his brother's soft tone, all of it seemed to intrigue Schneizel as he played along, "It was after Lelouch and the others moved to Aries Villa."

Alas, upon mention of that certain name, Euphemia immediately felt distraught hearing it, "_Lelouch..._" Her voice was faint and tender, carrying somber in it.

"Oh, forgive me Euphie, I brought painful memories for you..." The gallant prince corrected himself in response.

"No, it's okay..."

His words brought little comfort however as the shift of atmosphere among the siblings soured greatly, with sad feelings rising as to contemplate the loss...

"If only Lelouch and Nunnally could have been saved..." Cornelia commented looking down. Given her expression, one could say that she genuinely feels regretful in a sense, more so than the others.

"It couldn't be helped, things were so different then. No one could have imagined we would go to war with Japan..." Clovis affirmed, gently trying to diminish the anguish.

Alas, the truth couldn't be ignored. They all know what became of Japan these days. The majesty of Britannia seemed only to stir the barbarism of their Eastern neighbors over the years. And as result, two beloved souls among the royal siblings lost their lives.

Or so that's how they appear to believe in...

* * *

"Yeah, no one would have imagined..." Kallen mocked the scene with a dubious expression, "Do they really want me to believe that?"

Seeing her bland point, Gino kinda felt necessary to joke on, "Well I don't know Kallen, they seem pretty honest to me." He argued in a snarky manner.

"Right… Either honest or just blind. One of the two."

"Hmm, at least it's good to know that they still care about Lelouch." Rivalz commented next after long keeping his silence since the Court had begun... Only to notice exactly what he just said out loud, "N-not to imply that you guys didn't it before!" He corrected himself while looking the nearby older royal peers right there, namely the one fallen prince and the very Regent of Britannia herself.

"No. It matters not..." Cornelia however, answered mildly, just shaking her head and looking away. She was dismissive of it, reflecting much on herself while Guilford just glares back with disapproval.

"Way to go, Rivalz..." Milly lectured, whispering low.

As for Schneizel… He didn't even bother to acknowledge the youngster, leaving himself unreadable and indecipherable at glance when it comes to his thoughts.

"Hmph, I suppose it can't be denied though..." Yet, coming to the students aid, the smug visage of Lloyd offered his point for a distraction, smiling as usual, "Being nobility, they can as cautious or ignorant as it can get. Such was the way of Britannia politics back then, intrigue, ploys, and Ah-owowow!-"

"Erm… Lloyd~" Behind him, Cecile seemed uncomfortable, pulling him away from the group by the ear just away from the Empress's presence, "Try not to say such things out of turn please! (_I don't want to lose my job!_)"

"Oh, don't worry." Fortunately (or not) for her though, Nunnally was attentive to the words, "We have changed far away from this. Such times have long passed away now." She declared in a determined manner, passing this positive and optimistic aura to everyone listening.

None could argue with her on that matter...

"..."

Such words did however bring reflection over to the jury. Cornelia for example, felt herself lost in the sea of indecision, unable to separate the past from the present as easily as her younger sister could. After hearing the teenager's comment, she couldn't help but to wonder…

Of course they -their younger selves that is- would care for her siblings, they're family after all. In fact, Cornelia does value her only remaining sister with all the care and love she can spare, for Nunnally is all that she has for now.

Lelouch on the other hand… Well, it is complicated. On one side, It's easy to remember that without whatever taint he brought to himself, Lelouch still is her brother down in the end. On the other hand though, she didn't know any of it at time. Rather, she couldn't possible know or even suspect of his possible misdeeds in Japan if they had any truth to them. Not to mention it, since she knows that geass is a thing and given what would follow from there and beyond, Cornelia couldn't possibly see Lelouch in the same way ever again. Not him, or Schneizel for that matter. They both had become monsters in one way or another for a time, both madmen drown with power.

And they both are her brothers...

"(_What a mess..._)" Judged the warrior princess, hopeless...

* * *

Either way, once undisturbed by the jury mutterings, the expression of Clovis now shifted, going from the sad reminiscence of mourning to a more decided, straightforward form of confidence...

"We all miss them dearly, don't we?" He spoke up, drawing every siblings attention with his sharp eyes, "Well, heed me if you will, for I've made a decision! I just made a formal request to His Majesty, the Emperor." Affirmed the pompous noble on spot.

That was a rather strange change among the four siblings. Schneizel was immediately curious, "About what?"

"I asked that he dispatch me to Area 11 and put me in charge there." Clovis revealed, surprising all three of them.

Cornelia especially was greatly confused, "But, I thought you hated assignments like that..."

"I sort of had a change of heart." Came the simplistic answer.

Schneizel however, wouldn't let such choice slide like that, "What brought that on? If I may ask."

Facing him, Clovis smiled sadly once more, "36 Losses and 37 Battles." He affirmed ominously before showing an strained, unpleasant expression, "That's my win/loss record in chess… I really don't like to admit it but no matter how hard I tried it, I could never beat Lelouch..." He confessed.

"Didn't you tie him once?" His warrior sister asks, blinking.

"No, that game was interrupted." Clovis shook his head, "It started out looking like I was going to win but..."

"You're sure he wasn't letting you win?"

"He would never ever do that. Not his style. I knew him very well."

"Why didn't you play him to the end of the game?" Euphemia wondered curious.

That changed the man's demure once more, making him appear apprehensive, "He had a sudden audience with His Majesty." Clovis spoke in a anxious tone, his voice being rather disconcerting, "That was our last match. He never came back so... in the end, I missed my one chance to beat him."

And without much thought, no explanation was needed. They all knew what had truly happened then. After all, they were there to give both Lelouch and Nunnally one last goodbye before they departed in the plane...

"I see, so that's why..." Schneizel consented nodding along.

"Lately, I've started to think about the conflict in Area 11 as a chess problem he left me to solve." Clovis admitted, with a unique and honest smile of respect on his face. It was clear that he was truly fond of his lost sibling, to the point of even offering himself to do something in his name.

This seemed to touch his peers deeply, "It's unusual for you put so much thought into something like that..." Cornelia nods with approval, seeing him in a new light.

"I'd like to settle matters right."

And bathing in such happy glow, Euphemia seemed willing to share what good news she had, "Clovis, did I tell you Lelouch sent me a letter once when he was living in Area 11?"

"Hmm?"

"He said he made friends with a Japanese boy." She reveals to everyone in a spontaneous moment.

That seemed to surprise the pompous noble. His very eyes widened for a second, "Oh, he made friends with a number..."

"I wonder what is like over there..." Uttered Euphemia as her mind wanders with interest.

Amused, Clovis then showed his perplexed smile, "If you're interested, why not join me?" He invented.

"Don't be ridiculous." Only for Cornelia to interject and refuse it immediately.

"I'd like to see it, but I have school."

"Of course, it's too soon for you." Schneizel conformed, pleased to see the mood going back to a bright pace, "Do you like to go to school?"

"Yes! Very much." Euphemia in her innocence only seemed to shine over her siblings, to the point the three of them only wished to keep it that way. Their little meeting would continue from there, with more topics flowing here and there before time finally seem to catch up, with the sun glowing orange on the horizon...

"Well then, if you excuse me, I'd like to put the finishing touches on a painting before I leave." Clovis eventually proposed, making his stand.

"Clovis." Schneizel called as he last pondered on the man's decision, "How do you propose to solve this… chess problem, that he left for you?"

The pompous noble, caught off-guard, took some time to answer...

"With the usual tactics." He first said, closing his eyes in a moment of anger and reverence, "I hate the Elevens for having let Lelouch die. But, hearing he had a friend among them, perhaps I'll need to show some leniency." He affirmed, glancing at his beloved and hopeful Euphie.

"Don't let your feelings make you soft. We have to subdue them, period." Advised Cornelia in a harsh manner. She really didn't want to sound rude to her eager brother but, as she learned well, the reality out there cares not for either of them, noble or not.

"She says the truth." Schneizel agreed with her statement, "There are times when a ruler has to be firm Clovis, even treacherous… A soft heart is not a virtue, not for someone who stands at the top." He added in his brother's favor.

Heeding this, the pompous man himself nodded publicly, although secretly indignant within, "I appreciate your advice, brother. Watch and see how I handle it." He offered, taking it for granted, "That land is Lelouch's final resting place… I want to make it as quiet for him as I can."

And so, with that declaration, the man who one day would become the Viceroy of Area 11 left the garden, disappearing in the horizon of light that now spread outwardly, dismantling the whole scenery of the stage...

* * *

The session thus had ended in this hollow melancholic tone, not leaving much to be commented about it given the jury's current attitude. Few wished to speak as the atmosphere of their previous discussion yesterday still loomed over them all. And the current stage served to do nothing but to aggravate those feelings.

Then again, there are always some few exceptions...

"_Clovis..._" Nunnally for instance called out her fallen brother's name in reminiscence, "_How strange, seeing him like this… Alive and well. I remember the pictures of him on the palace, so old and bright, but even then it pales compared to this..._" She mentioned, savoring an unique nostalgia through whispers.

Indeed, for Nunnally, who has been essentially blind all the way since infancy, seeing her other brother in this manner, now looking far older than she remembers was an interesting experience for her.

"_You and Lelouch had been there with him right?_" She inquired subtly, indirectly addressing the masked man behind her, "_You two had been there when he was killed..._"

"**...**"

Alas, the nostalgia only did so much in putting a smile in Nunnally's face. Going with everything she knew about Clovis, his demise had been another mystery she long pondered after learning of her brother's misgivings.

"_I remember Clovis well. He was rather fanciful and full of pride, stubborn at face but still kind and gentle at heart. He and Lelouch were quite the bitter rivals, rather sore at losing yet honorable in action. No matter how impatient or angry he turned by the end of the day, he would always present himself in the morning with the same composed manner, ready to face big brother once more… Personally, it was funny to me._"

Describing him dearly, Nunnally tried to keep herself uplifted by remembering what good moments she had of him. Her voice was heard by no one else save for herself, Zero and unknowingly to both, the trained ears of Cornelia who also caught on...

"(_Of course… Clovis… Another innocent soul killed Lelouch. Killed by him._)" Cornelia reflected, glaring sideways at the visage of the masked vigilance. In a way, she was about to question him -or whoever is underneath it- about the death of her brother.

However, the warrior princess was rather beaten in this...

"_Did brother kill him?_"

Nunnally, shifting into a mix of indifferent judgment and longing feeling, she inquired her very guardian in a very upfront manner…

"**...**"

"_Did he? Tell me..._"

"**...**" Confronted, Suzaku grimaced slightly under the subtle but ever crushing pressure coming from his protegee, "_**Yes… He did.**_" Came his simple answer in a mechanized whisper.

"_Why?_"

"(_Why indeed…_)" Suzaku himself couldn't say. He didn't knew the whole story. In fact, given this was Lelouch seemly first, or if not the earliest, recognized sin in a long list of crimes, the forsaken japanese warrior didn't bother questioning him about it, "_**I don't know...**_"

"..."

"_**I know not why he did it...**_" He confessed under the unyielding gaze of the Empress, "_**But, if I had to guess… It was necessary. **_(_In the worst way possible I'm sure. Dammit it, Lelouch, look at what you're making me to do. This crime… It is yours, not mine!_)" Suzaku grimaced.

"_Hmm..._" Then again, why? That was what crossed both Nunnally's and Cornelia's minds as the masked vigilante revealed. They let the silence reign one for a second, believing that Zero would say more, yet Suzaku himself kept his mouth shut, something the Empress noticed, "_I'll learn more about from this, won't I? It will show me, right?_" She looked forth, back to where the stage laid.

Truly, gulping his throat down unseen, the fallen man just nodded, "_**If that judge woman meant what she says about the truth, then yes...**_"

"..."

After this, no more discussion came out of it. Cornelia had her reservations from this, but refrained from acting, purely out of hesitation and shock. While just the whole interaction between her sister and Zero made her explode inwardly in prospect, this revealed more to the warrior princess than she wanted to admit.

The man known as Zero now and her demon brother of the past... What is the relation between them? Such interactions and the implications underneath dawned much epiphany to Cornelia, a spark from which she had long suspected through. Could it be? Could it be that the identity of the man before her right now is-

"Your highness?"

"...!" Yet, caught off-guard, the princess was startled on spot at the voice of her beloved Guilford calling for her. She attended him directly, assuring his worries but couldn't help but to stare at the standing form of Zero as he glanced back, the mask hiding all of his feature on it.

There were many questions Cornelia wanted to demand from the man but somehow, a voice in her mind warned her the consequences of such thing. The clues and the truth eluded some sense of fear, of dreading realization. Just how does the pieces fit? The warrior princess couldn't fathom. If anything, Cornelia inwardly decided that this was somewhat of a private matter there, one she had no business pondering on.

Maybe the mystery would be uncovered in time, but until then...

_**To be Continued...**_


	10. Stage 0,911 - Meeting Milly

_Based on the Audio Drama of same name..._

**Stage 0.911 - Meeting Milly**

"...This is the KT-TV news now live on the streets of Kyoto! As you can see, it's barely two months away from World's Liberation Day and Japan is already eager to see it come to fruition. The vitality of the land that gave birth to the world's renowned hero Zero is bursting with action as the citizens already started decorating their homes, their children and their city as a whole in preparation of grand re-enactment of the Demon's Fall!"

And true to word, the land of the rising sun was shining strong over their heads…

Faced with possibly thousands of viewers behind the camera on her coworker, Milly expressed her vitality in full, her joyful nature never breaking once as to make her report as lively and professional as she can in her style.

Observing her straight, one would imagine that she is doing as fine as usual, carrying her work as it was required in the golden laden streets of a livid Kyoto. Inwardly however, on clumsy thoughts of her wavering woman heart, the bright reporter who once was the free-spirited mind behind the craziest of Ashford's Academy shenanigans now felt restrained when trying to keep up with appearances as days went on...

It has been ten months since the death of her beloved friend, he who she once thought to have known everything about from her days in the Academy. Yes, Lelouch's death turned to be as mystical as it was mysterious to bear, a tragedy in it's own right, but one shrouded in all manner of secrets.

Who would have imagined it? The Demon Emperor, the man who enslaved the world, her friend!? Really, it was already mind-gaping just to hear when he crowned himself Emperor to being with, receiving the adulation of his brethren in live television. And then, after many failures of contacting him, to see Lelouch die the way he did, by the hands of another enigmatic figure such as Zero… For a time, Milly thought she would never learn the truth of it all.

But lo and behold came the King's Court to her rescue!

Such magical event! Never in her wildest dreams Milly ever imagined such thing to fall in grasp. It was all a grand gift, an open scoop, a hot gossip to her very ears! There she was, ready to sleep away another boring day when *blink*, fancy dreams come up and now she's in the presence of high figures of authority! Princes, Empresses, Veterans of war, her goofy ex-husband, a bunch of weirdos AAAND her very friends, all together to learn what's up with Lelouch's deeds in a silver platter.

My god, how could she refuse such thing!?

Of course of course let it be said that Milly respected those who didn't want to share their moments of the dreaded past of the war so openly. Too many cans of worms have been found in there. Obviously she gave her friends some moment of respite to get a breath before fussing, flattering, prodding, threatening and blackmailing both Kallen, Nina and Nunnally under her very heels until they finally spilled everything.

And what a treasure trove it was…

Lelouch was quite the broken bird it seemed... Losing his mother in some mysterious ploy; being abandoned in a country he knew little of; all the while playing the watchful guardian around his precious sister, even willing to wage war in the world to do so. Truly, it's all very theatrical to learn, typical when it comes to that pompous snob yet brooding gentle kind of a man that he is.

"(_Just like how I remember him..._)" Milly reflected, giggling to herself.

Moreover, these mind numbing dream sessions also revealed quite an deep scorn between the jury and her fallen friend. If the frightening debate the day before yesterday wasn't an clue, Lelouch was into some really bizarre stuff, kind like a crime really, one that seems… Supernatural? Magical? Out-of-this-world? Milly couldn't put an proper word to it, everything was just wonder to her eyes.

From the little she knows for sure, the way certain words, terms and names the crowd threw around… It did caught her attention. However, finding out anything about them was harder than it seemed. In fact, just mentioning or asking about this C.C girl; or whatever this geass thing is; or even what Lelouch just did that is so incriminating, it all led to nowhere.

No one would say a word coherently about it. Kallen, Nina and Nunnally for instance wouldn't bulge even after her persistence, just saying that it was a mistake, a cruel reality, or something too painful or dangerous to mention, left better to be ignored and forgotten. The last one in specific unnerved Milly deeply as she remembers for sure what Nuna had mentioned when she got back to the school, with Zero on tow mind you. It was something about an Canceller that she was caught into, a fix into the throes of her mind.

Yet, even her memories couldn't be trusted correctly on this. When reminiscing about her time back in the school, Milly found her memory to be… well, shattered, for a lack of a better word. She recalls strange gaps in her past, events and moments that for some reason felt split in two, her life in the school mirrored twice in one go, one marked by a reality in the image of Nunnally at her side; and one branding by this glowing ghost of a purple bird surrounding the figure of Rolo…

Certainly, the former president was increasingly confused over this. Rolo and Nuna… They both are supposed to be Lelouch's _only_ sibling but that just… Impossible. It doesn't make sense, her memories conflicted with one another, putting a mist that seem to jumble it all up. It was so passive when she tried to reason it by herself, but now with the King's Court happening, the pain and confusion only increased…

"(_What is going on with me?_)" She ponders, massaging her sinuses.

Either way though, this mysterious situation stands as it is, mysterious. When interrogated, her friends would just look away and stare sadly on the ground, burdened by an truth too heavy to bear, unwilling to share even at her best of petty pleasantries. At some point, the good president wondered if they also have the same strange memory lapses that she has, odd as it was to mention it…

If anything, Milly did understand that there's more into the title of Demon Emperor than what it seems. It has this supernatural aspect of it that is explicit. She doesn't know what exactly to do or feel about this yet but excitement does come close pretty into mind. Her mischievous instincts are kicking high lately and if these dream sessions continues, the former council president is just waiting for a chance to see it whole.

She wants to know what makes her friends so twitchy and wishes to turns their frowns into smiles somehow. The past is the past and the future is at their heels, so why not just let us hold hands, forgetting everything painful and help each other to be happy? Why is that so hard?

"(_Hmph! I'll figure all of this. I'll figure it and shout to their faces until they are sick of hearing! Then we go laugh together for the rest of the days~_)" Milly declared, taking a breath of fresh air as she prepares to report once more. She can barely wait for the night to come now and take her to rabbit hole once more...

* * *

And in the same, albeit inverse chord, one despairing Emperor only wishes for the sight before him to end, for the reality of his fate to clear from sight at once…

"(_Euphie..._)"

Lelouch was crushed with the guilt from merely spotting his younger sister alive in that older memory. In a burst, his mistakes in life just flashed right into his mind, drowning everything else into a muffed background. It took much effort for the Emperor to avert his eyes and avoid falling even further into despair from recalling what he had done.

"**Do you see now?**" The judge spoke, leaning back as her fingers criss-cross themselves on the table, "**Your siblings had their virtues even back then. Though flawed as they were, they seemed to still love and mourn your very being.**" She affirmed, the topic completely in disarray with his thoughts.

Not that Lelouch complained it of course. He just latched into this offered excuse and quickly to distract his own mind to escape, "Hmph, that doesn't dismiss their opulent mentality." He retorted in an annoyed tone, "Discussing ways of treating a conquered nation, deciding who has to rule over them or what virtue a leader must have… It just stinks of the old Britannian society who crushes those underneath their feet."

"**...**"

"Also, this doesn't answer my first question." Lelouch continued, now assuming an cornering, sarcastic smile, "I didn't learn who plotted the invasion Japan to begin with. This was just Schneizel, Cornelia, Clovis and… Euphemia… Talking about their futures like it's nothing to them."

"**Hmm…**" The judge reacted, nonchalant as usual, "**So you can't see it, nor can you accept it… Quite dire circumstances you are in, Accursed One.**"

"..."

Her words were enigmatic, condescending, carrying pity even as she hinted something that he missed, "**Alas, if there's nothing else to mention, let us proceed on back to your very journey then.**" She proposed, shaking the head as if giving up.

Thinking on what came next, Lelouch took a small breath to calm down, ignoring her pointless lectures. How long it has been now? An entire morning? An day? He couldn't tell. This place, this… C's World, if he is correct, is distorting his very perception of time in a manner that it's almost unnoticeable. Without any definitive form to check it directly, through a clock or a consistent sun, there was little Lelouch could do to reliably read time as this judgment went on.

This was making him increasingly concerned…

"**You have traversed the scorched lands of a defeated country, forced to fend by yourself while nurturing your crippled sister...**" The judge started, laying out the events, "**...There was nothing left for you to stay, no home, no safe place, no refuge.**"

"..." Being stared at, getting in hand of the pressure was starting to become a norm for the Demon Emperor. It was already proven that he couldn't resist whatever this creature is, "Yes… No place was safe for us. We couldn't risk being seen by anyone, be they Japanese or Britannian. At that point, due to the war, being seen would either get us killed or sent back to the homeland."

"**Then what became of your fate? What path was left for you that would lead to your destiny?**"

Lelouch then just glanced at her straight, smiling as the eyes dulled, "The only path possible… Death."

"**Oh?**"

"Lelouch and Nunnally vi Britannia both died in the invasion. Their belongings would have been found in the shrine but nothing remained of their bodies after the shelling bombs…" He explained, remembering with grim, "It is then that the Lamperouges came into living, we, a humble family of Britannian immigrants whose siblings lost their parents in middle of a warzone and now desperately sought refuge from the mayhem… Of course they had to collect us in."

He remembers the scene all too well, walking through a pile bodies in a burned village, having to placate, steal or beg for food, all while caring for his sister all the way through, lying about the dreaded scenery as he described to Nunnally...

"(_Heh… For once her blindness had become a blessing..._)" He contemplated.

"**What about the Japanese heir, your friend, as you called him?**"

"Oh Suzaku? He came along. After his father's... "death", there was not much left for him. He didn't seem to trust the other grown ups anymore (_For obvious reasons..._) so, he tagged us out until we finally found some refuge in a Japanese encampment that actually cared for survivors or innocents. Sadly however, we had to split from one another. Again, we couldn't be seen walking together alongside the only son of the Prime Minister..."

"**...**"

"From there life went on, a life of struggling stagnation ahead. No allies, no resources, nothing left for us." Lelouch affirmed, now laying back as to catch himself up, "I thought I would end up keeping appearances until either opportunity or failure came over..."

"**Hmm...**" Patient as usual, the solemn visage of the judge didn't even shift from her form, merely listening to him speak. The Shaken Emperor didn't know what to expect from this, but there was no denial that he felt relief when she finally closed her eyes, "**And given your presence here, I assume then that you have found the opportunity you were looking for...**"

"Yes, in more ways than one..."

"**Hmm… I can see it now, the cornerstone from where your life would change...**" She vaguely revealed, once more eluding Lelouch, "**A living soul willingly grants her memory of your meeting.**"

"What?"

Confused, the fallen Emperor could only ponder on her musings as the judge looks at him straight, "**Your next friend and ally, Tyrant. She recollects the moment of her life when the two of you meet. It will serve as revisioning evidence.**"

And at her words, Lelouch quickly considered of who she was talking about, or of who, when the world around him took shape under the manifested will of the Thought Elevator...

* * *

The night is here and the columns form at the jury's presence. Roughly ten days have past since all of this had begun and by now, the supernatural scenery of the jury's surroundings is starting to lost its charm. While still fanciful to glance at, it was already accepted even by the most skeptical that everything is but an harmless illusion to be interacted with, an fruit of someone's thoughts forced into them towards a goal.

Alas, for all the bland expressions shared among many, the wild curiosity and magnified interest still remained, feeding from the pragmatic paranoia of the cynics and the bright expectations of the innocent.

And speaking of innocence...

"So what gives now?" Rivalz started, revitalized, "Is it our time already? I mean, we've got some fancy slice-of-life, a bit of adventure and sad ass history lessons filling up from yesterday..."

"Well, time is scaling up fast. The stage number is nearing one and it has shown us a considerable skip." Nina commented pondering.

Hearing the two, Gino felt increasingly anxious, "Oh then we're for a bomb then. I can't wait for the revelation when the number is up to 1."

"Oh you bet~" Milly nodded in agreement, "Come on, show me the secrets! Show us what Lulu was up to~" She demanded, letting her voice echo in the ruins, much to the chagrin and cringe of her peers.

However, as if to acknowledge her wish, the judge flickered into existence… inches before student council group, specifically right before the former president's very own face.

"**Very well.**" She simply spoke, startling the shit out of the teenagers with her ghostly and sudden appearance.

"Argh! D-Don't do that!" Came the blond's indignant response, provoking only a smile that seem to ooze the fear out of Milly. Truly, that glance alone was stunning, silencing most of the group shut as to give the judge domain.

"**Japan… The new dominion of the Empire. It's culture had been replaced, It's terrain conquered, it's people, enslaved.** **One would imagine what awaited for those living under it.**"

As she began to narrate, her stride into the stage just pictured the world as how it was, giving image to the City of Tyoko, now rebuilt in the pristine architecture of Britannia, modern, advanced and impeccable. The scene was arguably beautiful to see, a true expression of the Empire's urban engineering.

"**Unlike other Dominated Areas, the leadership of one Viceroy Clovis sought to bring stability to it's numbers, fanning hope and stinging reference to those who had fallen. True to his word, he had shown leniency to the now called Elevens, letting them live in the remains of their cities as a appease for what may had happened to his younger siblings.**"

Alas, the sight didn't last much, for when following her words, the view of the city expanded, revealing that the grandeur in whole was but a small spot in a large centered area divided by train lines. Whereas one side showed the beauty of Britannian, the other revealed the remains of Japan's building districts, all reduced to ruins.

"**What he didn't knew however, is that such act would cost him dearly one day, for the Tyrant, the Accused One, still lived. And in his struggle, he sought to find aid in any way possible to construct and settle his future.**"

Then, with the initial declaration set, the jury could only stare wide, specially the student council, at the now forming sight of Ashford Academy, with an much older Lelouch stood, well vested in his casual red jacket with a black shirt underneath and grey trousers.

"**And so, here is where he starts. At the doors of an old neighbor… As the memory of an growing lady reveals...**"

* * *

**Stage 0.911 - Meeting Milly**

[_I remember the scent of the breeze... It was like the first time I stood here…_ _In this place once known as Japan, spring was marked by faintly sweet flurry of cherry petals which washed over everything… Yes, on that day, with the sun gently looking down on the school as it is now, amidst the cherry blossoms that scattered as they fell, there stood a boy..._]

The session began in a most ominous manner with a narration once more, but not of the kind directed to an audience, rather it sounds like an stray thought, a reminiscence of someone recalling a past memory.

And in this case, it's seems Milly herself is somehow casting her old voice out...

* * *

"Wow, wow, wow, _STAPH_!" Yelled the woman herself, freezing everything upon hearing her own voice, "T-that a bit... private, you know? Can we not… do that?"

Quite so, seeing the now adult reporter reacting in such manner in an extremely rare moment of distraught… it did quite the job of dropping the jaws of the rest of the student council.

"..."

Yet at her crying complaints, there was no response. The stage just continued frozen and the jury just stood there blinking confused at the antics of the youngsters among them.

"What's the problem, dear? This isn't much unusual from everything we have seen." Lloyd inquired fishing through, "Unless… You have something to sensitive share, huh? Why It must be, after all It was you who wished the secrets to be given."

From that, all eyes fell upon her, "Erm… That's.. That's right I did but still… W-well..." It was shocking sight indeed. Milly, THAT Milly of all people, stuttering! It is surreal. The woman glanced at the stage, seeking the context of what happened that day before taking a deep breath and raising hands in surrender, "Alright, alright, my bad. I guess the joke's on me now. Unfortunately for you all, there's no secrets here." She waved off, flashing a defiant smile as she pointed at everyone.

"..." Which only served to leave the jury locked in this awkward feeling.

"Wow Milly… Just, wow..." Rivalz commented. The rest of the student council didn't even know how to react in this increased anxiousness. All of sudden, curiosity just spiked considerably on this session.

"Go on, play it through." Milly pushed it, giving permission.

* * *

Thus, following her wish, the imagery continued, revealing exactly what was said by the girl's own narrating thoughts. There she was, a much younger yet robust and livid girl, clad in a modest yet inviting dress that reflects and matches the pink petals of the trees around. She seemed to be waiting, admiring the scene as a young teen approached her in a expected introduction.

"Hi, I'm Lelouch."

"Yes I've heard. Lelouch Lamperouge, right? I'm Milly Ashford. How do you do?" She greeted him, approachable and reserved, "Grandfather asked me to you show you around the school today."

The teen however didn't seem much interested, "Spare the introductions. I'd like to use my time effectively." He demanded, not quite friendly to note. Rather, his tone was that of bold authority, slightly impatient and cold.

It quickly roused the Milly's curiosity as to why...

[_My grandfather, the principal of Ashford Academy, had told me this new student was a child of someone who had done him a great favor a long time ago. This was our first meeting. Still, even as he confronted an older girl like me, though he earnestly tried to look mature, I thought "It's okay, I'll teach him gently." Or something like that anyway~ Thinking back, I didn't know anything about him..._]

"You don't have to so nervous, I'm only one year older than you." She affirmed, showing a pretty smile.

That seemed to have an effect as Lelouch seemed surprised, "You're in Middle School?"

"Yes! Second year. Did you think I was in High School?" She confronted, leaning in mischievously and overly flirtatious, "I'm pretty well developed huh? Look, see my bosom line? And the curves and the hips of my thighs?" She teased, passing a hand on her dress to tighten and show her voluminous expressive form.

"..." Safe to say, this was something Lelouch didn't expect, nor he knew how to react at first. The only thing he could do was to be respectful and look elsewhere.

"You don't have to turn away, ogling me isn't going to harm anyon- Ah!"

"...!"

However, for all the flirting she teased on, a gust of wind caught young Milly off-guard, lifting her dress high enough to reveal the little gem underneath the belly for the merest second before she pressed it down in a hurry.

"..." Two then looked at each other awkwardly there, blinking once and twice as to what happened.

"Did you ogle?" The girl sharply asked, demanding rashly as the boy smiled.

"It didn't harm, right?"

"Yeah, but do you have to be so blase about it!?" Milly confronted him, somewhat embarrassed. That was outside her plans.

Lelouch however just rolled his eyes out to it, "If you're going to show me around let's get on with it, I'd like to get back soon." He addressed it through, quickly changing the subject, much to the girl's dismay...

* * *

Now, Teen Lelouch might not have reacted much. The audience on the other hand...

"Wow!" Rivalz kinda gaped, seeing the exchange of it. His eyes are drawn sharp like a hawk and his cheeks burned very very slightly there.

"Oho~ Now that's something~" Gino commented also admiring the sight. Though he rarely shows his interests in open, the offer here was far too blatant to ignore, especially when the entire jury is also looking.

Milly however just chuckles to it all, "Right right, bask in my young beauty boys, that's all you're going to see this night." She flaunts shamelessly.

Which only made Nina sweat awkwardly while Kallen frowns down, "(_Tch… Perverts._)" If anything, the former black knight found some comfort in knowing that Lelouch didn't show any kind of attraction there, at least not so lecherously like her teammates here.

As for the rest of the jury, this little odd scene felt… unnecessary, so to say. What was the point of such fan service in the face of adults, specially ones such as them? They had more important things to watch and learn than meddling in some trivial flirting moment.

That said, it didn't stop someone's mind from pondering, "(_Hmm… So Lelouch DID enjoy a robust body huh…_)" Kaguya thought contemplating. However, looking at herself, that line of thinking quickly left her pouting...

* * *

Alas, for clear different reasons, the stage continued mirroring into Milly's own pouting expression as she was glared by the piercing eyes of an impatient Lelouch. Apparently their moment there was increasingly leaving her a bit unnerved.

[_At that time, I thought of myself "...As a patient woman with an even temper..."_]

Milly realized she had to say something quick to catch up with the pace, "O-okay, well then. Ashford Academy is-"

"-I'll get the basic data on my own. School history, number of students, number of teachers and the geographic area it occupies..."

"..."

Lelouch however bluntly interrupted her, breaking her thoughts, "What I wanna know now is the layout of the buildings and the details of the facilities." He demands, passing across his point.

The blond girl could only blink there for a second, "...And you can't check that out yourself?"

"That kind of data is kept private. It can get used by terrorists." The teen explains carrying such a condescending tone that it irritated her slightly as she tried to come with an answer but failed, "Hmph, what? Don't tell me the Principal's Granddaughter doesn't know about that..." He added next, so bitterly smug.

This attitude... So endearing, so oppressive, walking over with his constantly arrogance… It was starting to wearing down on Milly.

[..._Well, I WANTED to be a patient woman who maintained her composure..._] But this was proving to be harder than expected...

"Alright! First, I'll give you a super special tour! From the rooftop to the bastion's-"

"-Just tell me the things I absolutely need to know… I'll learn the rest as I come to school each day."

Grunting outwardly at the interruption once more, she was thoroughly defeated.

[_Well, there are plenty of people who gets along just fine without cultivating the patience with others..._]

And seeing as nothing seem to work, Milly decided to drop the welcoming attitude outright, "You don't have any friends, do you?" She confronted him bluntly.

"That's none of your business." Lelouch replied sharply.

Which answered the question for her, "Ah, I see... Then you don't~"

"_Not Britannians anyway..._"

Or so she thought, "Huh? What's that mean?"

This boy was so insufferable. He seemed so constrained in his own mentality that Milly herself hadn't a clue on how to deal it. Lelouch just pushed her around, turning his back at her as to do things at his own pace, not bothering to give attention to anything else outside his main interest…

* * *

"Urgh..." Milly grunted alone, shaking her head in a sad smile, "Oh, Lulu... In the end, you never seemed to change from being so secretive and untrusting. It can get even to my nerves."

"Yeah, Lelouch can be so cold when he wants to..." Rivalz nod in agreement still remembering that one time he was completely ignored when he came back as Emperor, "I didn't think it was this bad when you two met."

"It was for good reason of course, but it's annoys me when everything could be solved if he just spoke his mind out..." Grumbled the former president.

"Well, that's tough luck." Kalled added as she joined the two, "None of us can blame him for that though. Given everything we've seen so far, his paranoia is rather… understandable. It takes only one wrong person to trust for you lose everything..." She affirmed with dreaded finality, knowing very well the weight Lelouch carried on his shoulders. A glance to Nunnally and everything seem to fit in, the truth being far too obvious to contemplate there...

"Big brother, you..." Clearly, the brunette girl looked sad, "(_Just how much of a burden have I been you?_)" Nunnally, having stumbled to this realization, started to reflect her very influence in Lelouch just by existing. The things that came into her mind didn't seen so gentle there, specially looking the way he acted when she was out of his sight...

* * *

Lelouch looked sternly over the foundations of the school building. He was meticulous in his inspection, listing many things he found wanting, throwing it all at the lap of his company, who just followed him through like a mule, somewhat resigned in both mood and patience.

"...The area is paved in stone, with potholes all over the place... Stairways to all buildings entrances… They'll need to put ramps and handrails." He mentioned, pointing things out, noting down things into a checklist of sorts.

"Fine... As you wish, I'll be brief." Milly sighed, shrugging her shoulders.

After a long walk to reach the overview of the school's front entrance, the girl just stepped forward to keep Lelouch's attention, "This building here is for the elementary and middle schools; and over there is the high school; if you hear people shouting routine, that's the gym; If you catch the scent of something appetizing, that's the cafeteria..." She bluntly displayed exactly what he wanted to hear, short and precise, all to just get this over with, "...Other than that, the dorms are over there. Ask your dorm leader for more details."

And while mentally appreciating her efforts, Lelouch blinked when he heard of that last thing, "Dorms?"

"Yes, all students are required to live in dorms. The boys are in the buildings on the left, and if you couldn't guess, the girls' dorms are on the right." She explained.

That actually made him frown there, "They never told me about that!"

Curious of his incensed reaction, Milly just raised an eyebrow to prod him through, "Hm? You don't like the thought of living away from mommy and daddy? Get over it. Ashford Academy encourages the development of free and independent spirits!" She rebutted, finally putting him on his place.

"How do I get to the Girls' dorms!?" Demanded the boy out of sudden.

The fact the he had to ask such bold question instantly shocked the young president upon hearing it, "D-don't be silly, boys aren't allowed in there! And girls aren't allowed in the Boys' dorms, so..." However, thinking it through, her mind quickly realized something dirty. Milly saw it, blinked at it, and then smiled, "Oh, I see~ You try to come up so cool here, but your head is full of the wild urges and lustful desires of puberty huh?~" She confronted him, teasing in full force.

"..."

Unfortunately for her, Lelouch was not amused one bit. His anger was such that he didn't even bother to answer as he immediately turns around and leaves her behind for the exit.

"H-hey, where are you going!?"

"That's enough."

"Okay okay, I'm sorry, I'll stop teasing you~"

"I won't attend the school." He declared, just ignoring her straight.

"But I was just giving you a tour!"

"I said, I'm not going to attend the school!"

"W-what the problem? H-hey, wait up!" Milly was a bit distraught by this. Maybe she had gone too far there and now she was paying the price of it...

"It has nothing to do with you." For her relief though, Lelouch stopped on his tracks for a moment, "I was a fool to come here without checking the details first..." He affirmed through, his tone carrying contempt on voice.

That enmity thrown at her unnerved Milly, to the point that she finally snapped at him, "Hold on! I don't know what kind of high and mighty family produced a spoiled brat like you but at least give me a reason!" She demanded, stepping up to face him straight.

"I'm sure Ashford told you, so drop the pretense!" He argued back.

"Wha- I'm asking you because I don't know!"

"YOU'RE ALL THE SAME!" Lelouch shouted even further, roaring out loud. His voice startled Milly, who raised her hands already expecting him to get violent there, only to notice a second later that the teenage became melancholic instead, holding himself in place as to look down on the ground strained and conflicted, "_Even you people… You would've used us..._" She heard him whisper, fists shaking.

* * *

The whole scene was one of short shock to the jury. Seeing the now teenager Lelouch acting in his cold, steadfast manner only revealed how those lost moments of his childhood had shaped him. He has grown bitter and hardened, maturing too early from the events of the war, which is not a good sign at all to the adults in the room, specially considering who he was going to become.

"...Lost behind enemy lines, outgunned, outnumbered, seeing enemies everywhere… To think he handled this for years..." Todoh commented, almost poetic in tone, unsure to either show some tough admiration or pitiful sympathies.

"Adversity builds character, so goes to saying. Although then again, reality always have it's exceptions..." Xingke added with his own little piece of wisdom.

"Hey, Lelouch does have character! He is but a victim of tragedy, a survivor through conviction. His past made him strong and unyielding." Vouched Kaguya in the deadman's favor, "I know many who would just break and give up facing what he did."

"That may be the case, Sumeragi-sama." Ohgi rebutted ever so respectful, "But, a will without principle is as dangerous to the world as it is to oneself. We all know the extent that man has undergone to, the lines that he broke, going too far sacrificing all around him for his own personal goals."

"Well… That is..."

"The Prime Minister is right." Chiba declared, crossing her arms to make her stance, "We must not be swayed by the Demon's broken fairy tale. Real or not, it is a folly to accept that he had any virtue worth of respect. And even if he has (_much to my disappointment on some people's beliefs_) the extent of his crimes are inexcusable. Lecture me if you must though, my mind won't change..."

From this, bitterness bred bitterness among the japan and chinese dignitaries. To avoid dwelling in hatred, these mature souls just reflected back to Lelouch what they had perceived from the stage. This confused greatly, the one child among them, who couldn't fully grasp the reasons of their discontent.

"Xingke." Tianzi, though scared in seeing such frowns around her, found courage to ask, "I don't understand. Isn't Lelouch just caring for his sister?" She inquiries in innocence.

All eyes turn to the little Empress and for a second the doom and gloom was defaced, leaving only the ugly image of uncertainty among her peers...

The prodigious general then looks at her, his face expressing sadness in a attempt to answer, "That he does, your Majesty. That he does..." He first start, before his tone falters into caution, "However, keep this in mind: Nothing is what it seems. It is wise to always judge a person in full. Know the reason and extent of his actions fully, lest you make a regretful assumption..."

"Oh..." And pondering on his words, Tianzi still remained somewhat confused there, her eyes setting back on the stage with curiosity.

That settled the silence there, as the general took a breath of tension. Perhaps there was more he could have said there, more to be said about the lines in between, that the world cannot be seen in black and white as Tianzi expressed so simply or that he should practice what he preaches. However, how he could even begin explain this to her? How to teach a child that the world is but shades of gray in this aspect?

* * *

"_Used…_ _us?_" Ugly confusions aside, the stage echoed forward once more with young Milly frowning to herself while she tried to make sense of her guest's whispering words of accusation. To her, his anger seemed… unusual.

"Lelouch?"

"...!" Alas, from the pitched call of his name through a voice she didn't recognize, the teenager in question changed his composure completely, bitterness fading away to give room to a bright surprise, to gleaming worry, and even looming regret on his face...

"Ah! Nunnally!"

Looking at where he glanced into, Milly saw a newcomer entering through the gates, a brunette girl, dressed in casual light uniform that basked in a sunbeam, her eyes ever closed as she approached them frozen sit in her form of locomotion.

"(_An wheelchair?_)"

"Oh thank goodness! I thought I've got lost somehow." The unknown girl sprout in worry.

"Nunnally, didn't I tell you I would be back soon?" And treating her in such a gentle manner, Lelouch became surprisingly tame and subservient, a vast change from his overbearing attitude just moments ago...

"I'm sorry, but I smelt something wonderful! There are cherry blossoms blooming, are there?"

Certainly, Milly was undoubtedly shocked at what she's seeing, "Are you..."

"Oh, you must be from the academy, I'm Nunnally Lamperouge." Greeted the girl, introducing herself, "Pardon me for not getting up but my legs and eyes don't quite work so..."

Blinking at the visage before her, Milly's previous indignation just worn off, replaced by a epiphany, "Oh.. Now I see… When you mentioned handrails before..."

Nodding along, her guest's face looked up with eyes strained, "It's starting to dawn on you? This place can't possibly work out for us..." He affirms with sadness, weighty and tired. Now all his behavior from before made sense, his anger, his worries...

"Lelouch?"

"Nunnally, I'm afraid this school isn't going to-"

"-Hold it!" Alas, bursting out in a lively mood once more, Milly just raised her tone to meddle in, "Honestly Nunnally, it must be terrible for you having a big brother who is such a stubborn mule..." She accursed in a pouting yet teasing manner, much to his surprise.

"W-what!?"

"I'm saying that you just should have told me from the start. What's the point of hiding it?" Pointed out the blonde, smiling even more at his confused face.

Lelouch, going defensive, reacted quickly, "Our private lives ar-"

"_-are_ my business now, and I won't leave you alone!" However, the good president was ready for it, extending her hand out despite his concerns, "Leave this to me, I'll take care of everything. I promise."

"..."

"Please, trust me." She pleaded him, trying to get on his favor in the same manner as before, friendly and easygoing, with past grievances forgotten and cast aside, a fresh start now that she knew the reason behind his manners.

"Lelouch?" Since Nunnally was the cause, he had to know and accept that she was on his side...

"..."

Alas, met with reluctance and indecision, the guardian teenager really passed the impression that this wasn't a easy decision for the two of them. Both his face and silence told the young president much about it.

"Uhm… Okay, fine! Don't trust me then!" Faced with this, Milly quickly changed her strategy, "Bet on me instead! I promise, you won't lose anything at all."

"What are you-"

"-And for collateral… Uh, let's see..." Not giving up, she took his reclusive behavior as a challenge instead, "I can't give you money; or status; or prestige, so hm… _Hehe_, you can have your way with me instead~"

"..." This gift, looking bold and clear despite the pettiness of it, still pressured Lelouch into a corner there. Her resolve was clear.

"Haha, It's decided then! Let's go, Nunnally~" And without even letting him answer, Milly took the reigns and forced him into a agreement, "Ah, may I push your wheelchair?"

"Hm... Sure." The girl president led them back into the academy's main hall with a mood eager to please the future students.

"Our clubhouse is by the garden over there. We'll ask my grandfather. I'm sure he'll let you both stay there." She offered more, clearly persisting on giving a hand, ever seeking to dig deep for the foundation of trust.

Thus, without options, Lelouch seemed forced to give up and leave it be. If anything, this seemed to be the best option that he can get given the risks…

"I can trust you, right?"

"What was that? I didn't hear you~" They walked together, now really taking up the tour that she promised, her overly friendly demeanor being an interesting change of pace for the two siblings.

"_...Thank you..._" Lelouch whispered close, his tone genuinely mellowing over in relief.

"_No, thank you._" Truly, Milly could only smile at her success there. Their journey brought them back to the school's entrance, from which she could finally express a proper introduction, "Welcome to Ashford Academy~"

[_Flurries of cherry petals would've come a few more times since then and he eventually would grow taller than me... Even so, that annoying pompous attitude and the precious kindness he has shows to his little sister… They haven't changed a bit… Which is why, that's right, I didn't overlooked it… I didn't miss the slight blush in your cheeks when you've thanked me… If I have asked you why, you would have answered, "It was the glow of the warm spring sun that was shining that day..." _]

* * *

And so, it ended, the stage vanishing in a fairly happy feeling, the smiles of every soul in the past bringing this good warm, much to the surprise of some in the jury…

The passion in Milly's voice did touch the hearts of those who still leaned on the positive side of Lelouch, feeling at least happy for him finding someone he could trust. This made everyone realize slightly as to why this seemly out-of-place news reporter from Kyoto was along with them there on the King's Court. While it was something long accepted before, seeing how she and the rest of the teenagers hang together in their group clarified much of what their connection to Lelouch truly was.

"His friends… For better or for worse." Villetta worded it, watching sadly over her students who now were trying to calm an increasingly anxious and loud Rivalz who as pestering Milly for the truth about that bet. The poor chap is truly hopeless in his love.

"Ashford Academy huh?" Listening at her side, Ohgi contemplated, his arms crossed in serious reflection, "It's kinda hard to believe just how small our world can look like… Kallen has been there for years, yet not once we have ever known that the Demon lived there."

"None of us knew, dear. No one suspected how things would turn around..."

"Right..." The now Prime Minister then, took a breath and closed his eyes in a passive gesture to wonder, "How he was like there, in school?" He asked the tanned professor.

"Lelouch? Well… Not much different than what's shown here. Pompous, arrogant, cold, and a little mischievous as well. It is surprising how he blended so fittingly with that attitude. I guess it shows how he made us all his pawns." Villetta explained in a tight throat, shivering slightly when remembering that one time she was completely outsmarted. Truly, Lelouch was completely out of her league back then.

"Pawns..." Glancing once more, Ohgi looked at the students that to this day still lay in his lands laughing happily among themselves... Only to frown at sight of Kallen and remember how distant the girl had turn to when Lelouch became the subject...

Again the bitterness in his heart surfaced within, mixing with these doubts and distrusts of an past reality. He would voice his discontent about this matter, pondering to face the redhead but hesitated in the last second, his eyes falling upon the back cape of Zero who was nearby.

The Prime minister then realized that he had leave such thoughts aside and lay low on his opinions to detach from the past. It's the least he could do in times like these, where the next generation can still linger of the positive side of things while they could… even though the surroundings lay splattered in blood of the innocent fallen.

In a way, Ohgi realized he didn't have the right to say a word here, not on this session for the moment. Lelouch's judgement and comeuppance would come in a later date, a day where not even his so called friends would forget his crimes and deeds. It will be a hard lesson for them to bear, to acknowledge the truth and be forced to make a decision on moral and principle.

When would this come though? He could only wonder…

_**To be Continued...**_


	11. Stage 0,916 - The Black King

_Based on the Audio Drama of same name..._

**Stage 0.916 - The Black King**

Within the halls of an some discreet abode cast in the pale light of the moon, the front doors open in a chime of bells, welcoming the new outsiders over the balcony with full of drinks toasting and coins tinkering. Inside, a vast salon of colorful festivities comes into view, filled with colorful tables, thousands of chips, sways of cards, and even an occasional glowing machine soaring the sound of fanfare, all under the low light of hangings lamps. The faint slow music echoed across the room, slow and passive, painting this image of both relaxation and scant business over high stakes...

And there, sitting in one of many chairs of such place, the ticking of clocks echoed beside an well established chess table of a game already on the way.

"Check!"

A black piece is placed, taking the position of another white one in a ongoing resolution that was very one sided against the white side, whose player's hand trembles at the prospect of incoming defeat, "Your turn, buddy."

After declaring his action and marking the clock beside the table, the leaning visage of a young adult well dressed in his waiter uniform slouched on the chair, expressing sheer boredom at face of it all, his blue hair hanging upwards expecting little from his opposition in a game already won.

Rivalz was bored… bored with the day-to-day life he carried on lately, studying and managing his student council at the Ashford Academy by the morning while meddling with luck and skill by playing in this gambling den at night. At first, he only went here to earn some cash and find some excitement for his life. Now however, at this point of time, he was more or less rich as of late.

By picking the right opponents for a challenge, the winnings he won more than well covered his debt expenses, placating his life into a very stable future in the days ahead. As you can imagine it, the joys he once had tackling out snobbing nobles or risking debt in high stake games has long diminished over the months. Not only there were fewer of them to mettle with but also those that did come weren't fun anymore.

Or at least, not fun when he stood there alone, playing by himself, having no one to share or listen to his adventurous ends...

The folks back in the Academy may enjoy a talk or two about gambling here and there, yet none could fill in as a partner for Rivalz the same way his old buddy Lelouch had when things were normal. Indeed, the young waiter missed his fallen friend. He missed seeing his phenomenal plays on the table, listening his overbearing predictions and strategies, witnessing his major dominance over the mere pieces of the table in palm of his hands... Yes, Lelouch was as much entertaining as he was enigmatic, always putting others in their place while leaving behind any who couldn't follow his steps. He was just that charismatic; to the point Rivalz just wanted to get along and see where that man would lead himself into.

Alas, as reality turned out to be, life went on to make his fallen friend distance himself from everyone, taking a path that boggles the mind and makes Rivalz wonder where things went wrong...

The Demon Emperor, the Tyrant of Britannia, Slayer of a Thousand Lives, Dominator of the World… These and many other names and titles often echoed over the social media, a giant list that Rivalz couldn't deny or confront on, lest he be accused and persecuted for merely being related to his dead friend. It's incredible how little he knew of Lelouch over the past years before he embroiled into all these crimes... Rivalz felt completely fooled. His friend was prince all along? As in, a member of the highest royalty? It had to be a lie, it just had to…

"(_But I saw it… I saw it with my own eyes… The Demon Emperor was my friend..._)" He mentally retorted to himself, conflicted.

Hell, the fact that Nunnally actually confirmed it to him and to the Council that one day... It all just proves outright that he, Rivalz Cardemonde, was tricked by the thickest poker face he had ever seen, one coated in the half truths and a straightforward personality that breaks logic by itself...

But then again, what's real and logical these days?

The King's Court... Certainly the craziest shenanigan he has ever dealt with before. If his confusing memories about Lelouch weren't already enough shatter common sense, this definitely threw away any remaining semblance of normality that Rivalz had ever know. Really, just what can he even say about it? All the dreams, the sessions... Is magic and fantasy real now? How!? When!? He doesn't know. Only his happy-go-lucky mind of live and let served to carry him along to accept this madness.

Safe to say, while it's fun to watch your friend's past (and secrets) like a movie right from the first seat, Rivalz just can't help but to feel lost there. It's like he was thrown into some mind game of sort, where the pieces in his hand are unknown. He can only stare blankly at them and wonder: What are they? How do they move? What are the rules? Are there even rules to begin with? It doesn't make sense. Nothing makes sense!

The understanding of his friend was gone, his trust lost in middle of this table of messy confusion, in this battlefield whose both actions and players are all but enigma to his very eyes. Faced with such lies, how can he find any manner of sympathy or bond for anyone when even his closest friends present such hostile enigma? Rivalz can only laugh at the insanity of it...

"(_Heh, and friends? What friends? What I've met is legends! Real stars in flesh!_)" He mentally affirmed, half complaining, half praising.

One former Knight of Round; one Ace of the Black Knights; one Empress of a nation; one brilliant (if crazy) Scientist; and of course more importantly, one successful News Reporter. Each of his friends seem to have elevated themselves in life somehow, each managing a feat of their own, casting this echoing tune around the world in some form or another. Even Milly, who just wanted a happy life down to earth, carried herself beautifully in her graduation, abandoning a life of certain luxury in a one sided marriage of nobility just settle her own humble path in mainstream media...

They are just fantastic people now, souls who are so far ahead in life that Rivalz can only look from behind admire their accomplishments. And really, with this said, where does this leaves him? What did he himself accomplish? Being good at chess? At games in general? Being a good normie who likes a normal, if adventurous, life? What else?

*sigh*

Rivalz looks down. It dawned to him that he just can't stop considering himself to be naught but a dwarf under the shadow such giants. He is just… too, too small in comparison.

"..._but then..._"

Maybe this is what Lelouch and Suzaku felt too? Feeling too small to make a difference? Too small to make a point across the world? ...Maybe, maybe not… How would he know given how they were? As far as Rivalz knew, through his whole life he has only known them to be his mundane friends. Suzaku was a meek yet ambitious warrior, knight to a mad princess and servant of a tyrant while Lelouch was… Well, he was an unreadable statue in the shape of human, shining like a lighthouse yet hidden in the mists of shadows, a man who has always been a prince in life, and one day, Emperor in death.

Yeah, not quite as mundane by any imagination of the word, that's for sure…

If anything, Rivalz now understood what pissed Lelouch so much about royalty and nobility in general. They live in game of life and death, a world of intrigue and plotting on a scale that someone like him, an mere plebeian, couldn't possible delve into… And to learn that his friend was thrown into one of these from the day he was born? It is beyond rough. Rivalz can't even begin to understand the struggle his buddy went through. The things he lost makes many of his tight escapades in gambling sound nothing worth!

"(_Maybe that's why he did whatever he did just to piss off everyone..._)" He realized, remembering the discussion that turned on him back in the End of the Summer of Joy. Maybe Lelouch had been gambling on this life of intrigue and destruction through his whole life all because he himself was screwed over by his own father… This must have embittered him to the point he had dug his hands too deep in revenge, raising the stakes too high.

"(_But still... To go as far as to abandon the very sister he cared for so much to control the world. Has his anger grew so much as to make him go crazy? No, it can't be... That's just not like him at all..._)"

*Click*

"Hey! It's your turn..."

"...!"

Blinking, Rivalz snaps back to reality just to see his opponent making the clock to the end his move. Such action only served to bring a headache over his way...

"(_Urgh… I'm fussing for too long over this… Focus, Rivalz, Focus..._)" The truth is, the young waiter felt inevitably cornered. He doesn't know what to do now with the facts presented to him. The game was on his plate, and it was his turn to think over and act in the present.

What will come from learning his friend's past? Well, if not the truth, then at least something similar to closure perhaps. Like the rest of his buddies, he has been given a chance to peek on Lelouch's secrets, so real or not, he couldn't resist meddling with the unknown. But again, the way that bunch of weirdos in his dream acted... The way the grown ups who once had been called terrorists or soldiers of war just accused Lelouch of his actions… It's is all too fantastic for him to comprehend or ignore.

Then again, perhaps that's the clue he needed. Perhaps that's where he should lean on and focus. After all, everyone seems to be hiding something. He could see through their eyes, through their bluff...

"(_Yeah, that right! I know I'm being played at… That's the only thing that makes sense there!_)" Rivalz rationalized, frowning. If true, then perhaps his choice was right after all. Maybe he should just play along and learn things as they come, one session at time. He could not go wrong there, could he? The stakes are set anyway since he had long agreed on the deal. Rivalz knew he had his neck on the table when he made the choice eleven days ago to accept the Court's offer, so he would have to learn the truth and deal with it, otherwise he might just never live down hearing what the others knew and told him of Lelouch instead of seeing it with his own eyes...

"Checkmate!"

"What!?"

Yes… That's how it should be. It's his job now to take the reigns and see where that strategy will lead him.

Given the cold looks he was given though, it's clear that the journey will be bumpy ride but the blue waiter was ready for it. In fact, now that he realized this… it actually puts a smile on his face. Yes, this exhilarating feeling of adrenaline pumping up into his veins... This tension of the game weighting over his choices... This is what he wants, to feel the consequences of his actions break into resolution!

"(_Heh, you're not going to leave me behind this time, Lelouch. If there isn't anything else I can do, I'll find out what mess you have embroiled yourself with no matter what!_)" That the emotion eventually made Rivalz feel determined once more, grinning at the face of victory as he mentally made his declaration.

His mind was set. The game for the truth was afoot and the clock was ticking. Perhaps the night will be short this time around. He just has to play along a little more until then...

* * *

Alas, while one living innocent managed to find his determination amidst the maze of enigmas, one fallen Emperor remained addled at the sight of something without clear logic to fathom on spot.

Lelouch blinked at the memory of his first reunion with Milly and felt indecisive. Certainly, she was not the person he was quite expecting when the judge mentioned a ally… It took him to some time to understand her point but again, in contrast to the things he would do, Milly was far from being involved in his misdeeds. She was a bystander through all of it, not a cornerstone…

"Hmm… A friend..." That said, giving considerations to it, it can't be denied that there is merit to the Judge's word. Meeting the Ashfords was boon for sure, it presented him an opportunity like no other, a long standing place to live for the rest of his graduation, which in turn would be the gateway for his revolution later on...

"**You've grown into a life of paranoia, trusting no one else, relying on no one else but your very own self.**" Came the passive comments from his tormentor, "**But that came to change when you meet such a gentle soul… She was a vital component of your life, of your future. Without her, the winds of fate would never have turned to lead you here.**"

"Hmph. A bit overly dramatic there but oh well… You're correct. Milly was one of few friends I ever came to fully trust. She and her grandfather stood by my side even at risk of exposure to Britannia..." Lelouch confessed in reflection of the scene laid before him, "At first, I didn't know what to expect when meeting a family who long had fallen into disgrace after mother's death. Knowing how ambitious some nobles can be for the sake of power I couldn't just reveal myself so openly." Then, breathing himself into relief, the Demon Emperor smiled, "Still, It was good to be proven wrong back then..."

However, in a shaking head of disappointment, the Judge merely continued, "**Perhaps… Yet in the end, all the good will she and her grandfather presented as a gift to you met only a wasted end in **_**your**_** pursuit of power…**"

"..."

"**Can you really look in the mirror and not see yourself as the same kind of noble you accuse others of?**" She challenged him, her gaze leaning mighty.

Frowning, Lelouch's mood soured as he would open his mouth to retort, only to hesitate and evade her eyes, "I… I'm not like them..." He grunted, his tone hasty yet firm, wavering as if it was fragile in on itself. Back when his pride was solid, when his determination in the face of the end was unyielding, his rebuttal would be instant, loud and clear. Yet now, as Lelouch realizes it, both his soul and heart is being torn apart, stripped open for this place, this being, to see it barehanded… This degree of control… it's-

"**Such uncertainty…**" She interrupts, leaving him stray in his thousand yard stare, "**You either lie, or refuse to accept the truth. Hmm… I suppose this self-reflecting exercise is doing effect. You're starting to see the hypocrisy of your very being, becoming unable to ignore it. You had ambitions… ambitions of your own, forged from this drive to assure your existence, to remind yourself of your set purpose. Perhaps you could have taken a more humble path at some point but that didn't came to be. Unfortunately, you just couldn't forget your own royalty roots.**"

"No..."

"**Hm?** **You disagree?**"

Lelouch, distraught in his cracking state, tried to regain some composure by massaging his sinuses, "I'm not like them… Not like those monsters… Nothing like HIM..." He affirmed with a straining voice, demonstrating some stubbornness.

Though naught but a whisper to hear from his mouth, the judge demure shifted into curiosity for a second, her eyebrows arching over his mutterings, "**Hmm… Then in this case, let us peek up back to your very arrogance as witnessed by the eyes of a friend, another whom you have long disregarded as irrelevant. Gaze upon him and tell me if I speak the truth...**" She declared, manifesting a clock over the table before them as it begins to tick just upon the chime a bell.

Looking at it, the fallen Emperor immediately recognized the piece before his eyes, the world and the context within, drawing him back at another moment of his life in early days of the Academy...

* * *

Cast under the rays of a celestial sunset, jury reconvenes, their postures relaxed and rested upon their seats, ready for another session to witness, another slice of life to grasp upon with excitement...

Alas, unlike last night however, said excitement was kept restrained, limited to a individual's mask of passiveness. Milly learned her lesson very well and no long bothered to make a fuss of anything. Yesterday taught everyone that if no one else wanted to have their minds peeked upon, then they better just stay shut. As one can imagine it, dealing with fantasy at the hands of the unknown, a modicum of peace became the norm, kept by the silence of the jury only to be shaken under the expectation of what's to come.

"So… is no one going to announce themselves this time?" Gino whispered, sending glances at the former president among the student's council, "No one wants to share something new for this session?"

"Why Gino, I would _LOVE_ to have my stories manifested once more, I really do~" Milly played, guarding her surroundings ever so slightly there before continuing, "Buuuut, I had filled in for my turn yesterday. Now It's up to you guys to confess how each of you meet Lulu~" She teased, presenting herself clean.

The group then glanced at each other for a second, each one expecting another to speak until one shy emerald girl was bold enough to step up, "W-well, I only meet Lelouch when you introduced him to us so..." Nina confessed, "...I don't think there's anything interesting there to see. We rarely spoke with each other outside council affairs and… you know, the war."

"I met the old man upfront way later on when Suzaku brought me to Area 11, so I'm late for the party." Gino clarified as he turned his eyes towards a certain redhead.

"W-what? You all know how we met, you guys were the ones who introduced me in that party." Kallen defends herself.

"Oh yeah that is true... But even so, you have always been the secretive kind of girl, right?~" Milly entoned, flirting around her, grasping her shoulders seductively, "Always vacant back then; playing sick; missing classes; freedom-fighting… You have MANY secrets don't you, Kallen?"

"N-No I do not!" She quickly rebounds, only drawing attention to herself through the whole jury, "I-I mean… erm, t-that's not any of your business!" Her indignant outcry echoes in the room, chilling everyone's spine as they were met with a steady silence.

...

If there is any indication that the judge had heard it, she didn't show...

"My, my, such strong denial! You're not helping yourself there, darling. Why don't you just confess your pretty heart out and let us hear it? It's either that or I'm sure one of these dream sessions will show it off one day~" The mischievous blonde prodded, just smirking all the way.

Kallen couldn't help but to feel annoyed at the insistence, "I'm not talking! Not freely like this..." She resisted stubbornly, arms crossed as the council snickered.

"Alright alright, your choice~" The rest of the teenagers whispered among themselves there, each offering their excuses and speculation about tonight's subject that eventually they realized that one among them wasn't called on…

Solemn in his form, Rivalz kept himself reserved among his friends there, his playing along as the chat goes. When he was addressed, it took him some time ponder on, "How did we meet huh? Hmm..."

"I remember you trying to get really close to him all of sudden. You began to treat Lulu like he was your buddy and partner for some reason..." Milly inquires thoughtful, finger on the chin, "It's something about gambling, isn't it?"

"Yeah… That's right." The blue waiter recalls, "The first time I've seen him play… I was in a pinch when-"

"-**Fortune came in Accursed One's hands...**" And as the memory came into his mind, so did the haze presence of the eccentric judge before them, inserting her own ambiguous word in interruption while her glare crossed right through him from the forming stage, "**...At the benevolence of a friendly angel, the Tyrant found solace in the new home he was presented. His life and that of his sister was settled to rest over course of the next years, preserved in a small dome of peace.**"

The sight that was shown to the jury was serene: a humble bedroom, built in the amenities of a modest Britannian style, not truly opulent, yet not lacking in elegance. For the few who did knew the place, that was the house Milly left the royal siblings to lay, a very faint display of it given everything shown.

Alas, inside it, the image of Lelouch was revealed framed as a painting, presenting him in gentle manner, kneeling before the smiling form of Nunnally that shimmered under the moonlight cast into the bed from the window. It is a beautiful and calm scene, highlighting the the very things that the judge expressed: the picture of bonding serenity and peace.

"**But peace was not something to be trusted, not by a man matured under the harshness of life...**" She continued, now showing Lelouch glancing out at that same window, his reflection clear for everyone to see his frown. His uniform was now black from head to toe, illuminated by a sky that kept changing from night to day in a constant flowing cycle, "**...Tormented by the fear of the unknown, of the invisible enemy whom he perceives to be near, The Accursed One would seek to lose himself into the dark corners of the city, searching, looking, seeking anything or anyone, that could at least prove to be a distraction or a confirmation, of his glooming beliefs...**"

And in the same motion of hands, the visage of the Lelouch vanishes, leaving a sleeping Nunnally alone in that very bedroom, now cast in the appearance of abandonment…

"**Though subtle in nature, he would find what he sought, cementing his arrogance in a world beset by lies… As proven by another who lived through it...**"

The judge then disappeared out of sight, giving room for the memory to manifest in full...

* * *

**Stage 0.916 - The Black King**

It begins on the forming shape of a clock, ticking it's points loud and clear inside it's archaic structure as the sight pans away to emphasize the now visible table of chess. From the looks of it, the tabletop game is already deep underway, with the white side of the pieces looming oppressively upon the black ones, cornering them on the spot. The view of this lingers slowly over the winning side when a voice gloating in delight makes due to pressure his opponent…

"Well my dear little waiter, are you ready to give up?"

And grunting into annoyance, "My name is Rivalz Cardemonde." An angry answer bounds back, revealing the face of the teenage that it belonged to.

There, the forms of the two players were present, two men: An old Count of nobility, rich and polished in his overly privileged posture of prestige; and against him, an mundane youngster, reserved and humble as naught but a local bar waiter. They faced each other in a battle of wills in serious dedication, a game of stakes where winner wins all. Surely, such kind of battle is often seen as tight-matched duel between two experts.

Or at least, that's how the teen wanted to believe it was...

"Do I really need to know your name? You're the loser~"

"I haven't lost yet!"

"Heh, from this position, your options are very few, aren't they?~"

"_Grm!..._" However, at this point, the game was going mostly one-sided against poor Rivalz as he inwardly regrets the decisions that led him into this mess, "(_Dammit, I underestimated this guy… I thought he was just a nobleman who wanted a challenge, a game of some risk… I figured I could take him easily, but he's really good!_)"

And it really shows why so… His thoughts are given form there, showing how he, Rivalz, is often a present member in that facility, working as part-time in this gambling den. He is confident about playing chess, having filled in for the manager sometimes, playing extra matches when he got too busy, all doing a good business for the house and his own pocket.

But now, trapped in this one tight situation, Rivalz knows he's in for a bust this time. The clock is ticking and it's his turn...

"You are going to pay me, aren't you? You are the one who set the stakes after all..." Taunted the vain nobleman ever smiling.

"(_Ugh… I'm in trouble…_)" Rivalz dreaded even further now, starting sweat blandly. His mind was working overdrive to find a way out of this, "(_Why did I get carried away setting the bet!? As a student, how can I even pay it off? There is no way… What do I do? Get on the floor and beg the guy's forgiveness? Would he even let me off if I did something like that?... I'd rather die than ask my father for the money but… I may not even have the choice..._)"

"Don't try to stall, it's pointless." His opponent pushed, "If you can turn this game around now, I'll crawl around this place three times barking like a dog. How's that?" The Count laughed at his own absurd bet. He truly enjoyed seeing the poker face of the teenager crack off on the spot.

* * *

"Yup. That's the guy who nearly screwed me over." Rivalz point it out for everyone.

"Huh, so it's your session after all eh?" Gino complements as the student council contemplates the fated day that their blue buddy first meet Lelouch. The trend seems to be real then... Everyone could see the pattern there. Perhaps now they know what to expect from the next sessions…

"Wait, what about the session introduction... How is it related to this?" Nina questioned, thoughtful on the subject presented. The group then looked over and reflected, pondering on the logic of the judge's words.

"Brother..." Breaking the silence though, it was the young sister of the Dead Emperor that spoke, her eyes shaking in realization, "Brother was looking for a distraction..." Her words echoed lonely, the tone filled with sadness as the image of her brother still marked her mind, his frown of contempt expressed truly. It seems the saying is true, a picture is worth a thousand words. From each session seen, Nunnally was tearing up ever so slowly from the quirks that her brother had hidden from her. If the cold upfront meeting with Milly was any indication, Lelouch indeed fell into a vice of paranoia and distrust.

And she was none the wiser of it all back then…

"I guess this answers the question. I've long accepted that it was you Rivalz that brought brother to gambling. But, as it turns out, he went out by himself..." Affirmed the Empress looking down, "I'm sorry..."

Feeling bad for this, the blue waiter felt her compassion, "Oh Nunnally, you don't have to apologize. Things just... happened… It couldn't be avoided." He expressed, trying to comfort his friend, futile as it was for the truth was harsher…

...

"_Seeking proof of his own beliefs…_" And in agreement to the Empress, a lone orange knight also felt responsible for letting such nature to occur. Jeremiah dreaded every second it, witnessing the grow of Lady Marianne's legacy tarnished and reduced to a state insecurity, lost and bereft of hope. The similarities felt there were too abundant to ignore, "_I understand your plight, your majesty… I really do. If only I had been there..._"

Observing him, an ever silent maid finally decided to speak, "If you had been there, what you could have done, sir Jeremiah? What could you offer to ease young master's worries?" Sayoko confronted, going on a reflection of her own.

"Anything! Get his rid of these nobles, of his enemies, anything to relieve him of that fear of his!"

"Hmm… Fear huh?" And closing her eyes at the answer, Sayoko felt pragmatic at face of reality, hardening her sympathies, "Sir Jeremiah, I'm afraid you are falling away from master's will."

"_What!?_" Her words spark an incredulous reaction on the cyborg.

Looking at him straight, the loyal maid glared with strictness, "Stop lamenting the past. You cannot change it. While it's true that the difficulties of life has constantly cornered His Majesty, it also shaped his mind, teaching the values of duty and responsibility… Recall, if you will, what these things led him to do, what he would sacrifice for..."

The orange knight then listened, his eyes shaking into a frown, only to close briefly as to realize it himself, "Y-you are right… His legacy… We are his legacy..." He strained himself into a calm posture, rejecting his emotions just a little to understand. Yes, she is right. Master Lelouch never intended him to fall into guilt for his own mistakes, he entrusted him with the truth of the matter, his legacy was to be taken forward and preserved as demanded… How could he have forgotten this so quickly?

"Thank you, my lady. You really are an example of chivalry..." He admitted consenting openly.

Sayoko for instance just smiled contently at him. Satisfied, both went back to glance the moving stage, decided to watch their master's struggle manifested...

* * *

What they see back is the laughter of the noble echoing still, mocking the young blue waiter in his spot.

"Sounds entertaining~"

"...?"

However, interrupting his mirth, a new voice arrived on scene, it's presence cast into the low light of a lamp to reveal... another teenager, "I'd love to see a nobleman get down on all fours and bark~" He declared, flaring an audacious smirk as a challenge to the elder, his amethyst eyes looking down on him with contempt.

"Hmm? A student?" The Count glared with a raised eyebrow.

"(_That's right, he is. That's an school uniform, and it's from Ashford Academy where I go!_)" Rivalz recognized, showing surprise in seeing something like him in this place of all things, "(_He sticks out here like a sore thumb..._)"

"Move aside. I'll play this out for you." Demanded the bold student from him.

Flabbergast, Rivalz couldn't even think straight as he just obeyed on instinct.

The Count didn't miss this, "Your friend is coming to the rescue? Ha ha ha ha~" He chuckled unfazed by the bland threat thrown at him.

Indeed, Rivalz could only be embarrassed in all of this, "H-hey! Hold on, this isn't a game for students!" He boasted, trying to restore some dignity.

"You're a student too, aren't you?" Yet, staring nonchalant, the newcomer just exposed him straight.

"Wha- I… How do you know?" His behavior was so upfront that it got the young waiter off-guard, realizing too late that he basically fumbled there by spilling the beans, "(_Still… I'm wearing my waiter outfit, how would he know that I am-_)"

"Rivalz Cardemonde, Class 1B, originally from California; on bad terms with your father so you've taken your mother's maiden name..." The strange student affirmed, reading him like a book. Rivalz can only blink in confusion as he listened the explanation, "I've gathered essential data on every Ashford student and committed it all to memory..."

"Every student!?" Such statement leaves the young waiter shocked, "You've got to be kidding!"

"Heh… Well, well, aren't you a clever lad?" Treated the nobleman amusingly observing the two teenagers chatter, "Are you prepared to bark in the young mister's place if you lose?~"

Being looked back at, the newcomer returned the smile, "Yes. And you'll bark if I win, right?"

"That is IF you win~"

"Okay." The student nodded in agreement, his finger intermingled over the table, "So then, we've come to terms."

From this, Rivalz didn't know exactly what to think. It all happened too fast. Just like that, this new guy just switched places with him, and it's all on his own initiative. Either this was a relief or not, that remained uncertain to him...

* * *

"Tch, fucking brits… Look at this, all of them acting like they own the place. Makes me wanna punch them." Complained one annoyed Tamaki, frowning at the opulence shown before him.

"Yeah... I wonder where all that wealth comes from though. I mean, just the luxury alone..." Sugiyama added beside.

"From our blood and sweat I bet." Yoshitake answers, eyes closed in reminiscence, "Remember the factories? The mines we've toiled to dig and make gold of? It all went into the pockets of fatsos like him." He recalled.

"Heh! That's only so until we showed up and took goods of ourselves!" Tamaki boasted, flexing his muscles, "The Shinjuku Freedom Fighters was never one to leave the fuckers alone, right Ohgi?"

Solemn on his spot however, the former leader of the old resistance cell took seconds to respond to the call, "Oh? Oh, right… We certainly didn't." But alas, ignoring the laughter of his hot-blooded colleague, the Prime Minister kept returned his glare at the stage, at the sight of both Lelouch and Rivalz in the gambling den.

"What's wrong, dear?" Villetta addressed him straight, seeing his thoughtful expression.

"Just wondering, how can a facility like that allow students walk freely to such places?" The man inquiries.

The question, while odd, it carried a dark tone, an impression that the former baroness quickly latched on...

Closing her eyes, she considered the words carefully and simply gave him the straight answer, "If I recall correctly, It's due to the morals, or the lack of it, that they do. If they were Britannians, then it was their right to do so. Peasant or Noble, the only reason one would go there is to play games, take some risk or bet money. If they were Japanese… Then it's one of two things: Either they weren't allowed, or they were brought in under the wing of another as allies, puppets, prizes or... property."

"Property? What are you..." Shocked in eyes wide, Ohgi turned sharply to face her honestly stern face only to shut himself up. It didn't take him long to recall the many facets of the old society established in Japan, namely, the ways how his people was so oppressed. Indeed, the Japanese were once a kind of property, slaves or currency for their foreigner peers in a dominated nation. In fact, It wasn't much long ago that he had seen the system profiting on the lives of his kin, specially after the failure of the Black Rebellion. Gambling dens were filled with blood sport rings and the girls were naught but products to be sold...

Ohgi had no words to describe it. The war was over months ago but even now he still seems so embroiled in the horror of it… Once again he felt himself brooding on the past, reminded each time he watches a session of Lelouch's life. Truly, how can he help himself like this? He didn't know.

And nor did Villetta, who watched over him, worried about her husband growing resentment...

* * *

Moving on, matching in anxiety, the game was about to resume and Rivalz could be seen quite clearly gulping down his throat now that his very fate is out of his hands...

"(_What can he do though? He's facing a defense that is solid as a rock. It's impregnable!_)" Observing the table, it is as bad as it sounds, "(_My pieces are scattered all over the board. There's no attack or defense!_)"

"Whatever you do, make it quick. You only have six minutes..." The Count reminded the student, testing his new opponent out.

"That's a lot of time. Enough to save the whole world~" But then, making his first move, the newcomer does something that paints confusion in the nobleman and Rivalz.

"...What?"

"(_That's the piece he's moving? The black king?_)" The young waiter blinks as he quickly ponders, "(_I've never heard of any end game strategy that you start by moving the king. That's crazy!_)"

"The King? Ha! I here I was wondering what your secret plan was..." The Count laughed outwardly. This act was all too hilarious in his eyes.

Such reaction served only to make Rivalz despair visibly there, "(_I'm dead… This guy's a complete amateur. He'll lose faster than me! I should have never turned over the game to him..._)" He feared, almost biting his mouth off for a second before reconsidering, "(_...On the other hand... Maybe this is the chance I need! If I bolt out of here while they're distracted-_)"

"-You. Bring me a pen and some paper."

Craven plans aside, the young waiter startled when called off, "W-Who? Me?"

"Yes. You can do that, can't you?"

Faced with the sudden request, Rivalz quickly disguised his craven cowardly expression behind a poker face and pulled out the assets from his pockets just to get along with it, "Here, is this okay?"

The newcomer then nodded, seemly unaware, "Hm, that's enough." He took the note paper and started writing something neither Rivalz or the nobleman couldn't see what it was. The clock continued to tick on his turn and the curiosity of both leaned in…

"Hmm? What are you doing now?" Inquired the Count, eyes arching.

"Just amusing myself. I do this when I play an opponent who's specially tedious." The student mocked, his tone and expression showing boringdom.

That made the man gap incredulous, "You- Students… If you think I'll let you off with an mere apology, then you don't know who you're dealing with!" He threatened, pulling his piece on table.

"Hmph..." Yet smiling softly at it, the newcomer merely glanced at his choice for a second before finishing his writings, "Alright, there it is. Hold on to it."

He then folded and handled the paper back to Rivalz very casually, "What did you write?"

"A prediction."

"Huh?" Blinking lost, the young waiter could only stare to it, not quite comprehending what is going on...

* * *

"Oh here we go, the king's first move~" Kaguya reacted, joyfully, "I love how Lelouch just flaunts his confidence so openly."

"Hmph. Sounds arrogant to me." Xingke retorted, not so impressed, "Exposing your intellect like this has it's cost, a price to be paid only in the worth of oneself. It is wasteful..." He asserted in disagreement.

"That just shows how immature he still was there..." Todoh nodded along, speaking his wisdom, "Much like that judge had said, the teenager was acting pretty much like a child yet, seeking to prove himself in vainglory..."

Hearing both the veterans of war, the Chairwoman of the U.F.N. Supreme Council, being the good teenager that she is, frowned upon them, "Oh come on you two, stop being so grumpy all the time! We're about to see grand game here, isn't anyone excited to see how he'll win this one?" She boasted in retort.

The two dignitaries then glanced at each other for second and then turned back to her, not saying any word actually but rather letting their eyes do the job of expressing: "_Seriously?_"

"Oh, I do!" But, in an unexpected response, young Tianzi spoke up to the surprise of everyone, "I-I mean, everyone seem interested so It must be important, right?"

Either a misunderstanding or not, Xingke was thinking of a way to correct himself and his protegee when Xianglin took the reigns, "My Empress, that game is not quite what you think it is. The rules can be... Incredibly complicated. The ways one can play it are so many that you might not fully understand it yet..."

"Oh..."

"Nonsense!" Kaguya protested, "Do not listen to her Jiang, chess is actually very simple! You just have to dedicate yourself and learn to play as it goes. Who knows, you might like it~" She vouched for her friend, managing to drawn a smile in the young girl as she felt inspired.

Faced with this arguably unsuccessful attempt to dissociate the two children from each other, the two veterans facepalmed slightly, leaving things as it is lest a headache comes over. Only Chiba seemed to notice the bad influence the Chairwoman was starting to grow on the Empress.

She tried to correct it, "Erm, Sumeragi-sama, I don't think having her to lear-"

"Silence! The game is starting..." However, pushed aside by her insistence in a shout, the point was moot.

* * *

Thus, forcefully drawn by her eccentrics, the stage resumed briefly. It seems now that this time, the newcomer began to move his pieces in a more comprehensible manner. Either it was a joke before or a mere taunt on his first act with the black king, the student proved that he actually knew chess stupendously well, to the point that the praise of the word itself doesn't if fit the description of what Rivalz (and the jury) had just witnessed.

One turn at time, the seemly hopeless situation the young waiter had gotten himself into in the table was overturned, despair and defeat passing back between Rivalz to the now cornered noble, who just couldn't believe what was transpiring before him…

Soon enough, with the last piece, "...Checkmate." The newcomer declared his victory, impressing all who were attracted in attention to the grand turnabout.

"I-Impossible! Just like that, in thirty minutes he got me in checkmate!?" The Count cried, baffled.

Even Rivalz, who considers himself a reasonable expert in chess couldn't make heads and tails of what he had saw… The moves and strategies, so subtle and well hidden, sprouting into the open like a magic act… It all felt like a miracle.

"(_W-who is this guy? How did he pull it off?_)" He wondered dumbfound. This one nobleman who had been wiping the floor with him was just defeated by this new guy like it was nothing.

"I-it's absurd… How can I be defeated by this child..."

"Say, what don't you read the note I wrote?" The student finally spoke, drawing everyone's attention as he checked with Rivalz, "Do you still have it?"

Entranced, the young waiter nodded and took it out, quickly unfolding the piece to say the words, "Black Knight to B6; White Knight to B3; Black Bishop to E3; White Queen to B1…" Shortly, he recognized what is his hands, "This is a note of a Chess Game!"

And indeed, matching the moves done in place, the conclusion was obvious, "Incredible! Those are the moves I made!" The defeated nobleman admitted.

"Yes, it's a record of the game we just played. Every move is there..." The newcomer explained, slouching himself back on the chair with elegance, hanging his face by a fist on the chin like a empowered king.

"But, you wrote this before you started playing! How did you do that!?" Rivalz questioned in shock, addled as the pieces fall into place one by one.

"You… You predicted my moves? My tactics!?"

"You follow formal strategies with no flexibility or originality, typical of nobles raised like pampered orchids in a hot house..." The student answered, his face just delighting himself on the contorted face of his incredulous opponent.

"Who… Who the hell are you?" The Count demanded in anger.

Expecting this, a small smile formed, "Lelouch. Lelouch Lamperouge." The newcomer finally introduced himself, with all the authority, and all the glamour, to the audience before him...

* * *

"That display of dominance… I know I'd saw it when he was young but to think that Lady Marienne's progeny is a prodigy to such extent..." Guilford was admittedly impressed. This is perhaps one of few times he actually had saw Lelouch's intellect on work. Or at least, one he could recognize, "No wonder he was such menace on the battlefield."

At his side, Cornelia just frowned when hearing that name of her admired hero alongside that of her very horrible son. The scale of such thought just left her mouth bitter, "Hmph! It is as commendable as it is a shame. Not I even can deny it but Lelouch always had the potential to become a great general."

"Wow… Is that a praise from Witch of Britannia to the Demon Emperor?" Mocking her however, Schneizel pleasantly decided to make his appearance, "Please sister, you know that such games have little weight in gauging one's real skills in strategy. Anyone with an ounce of discernment and deduction is capable of predicting someone else. Brother's talent is nothing special." He affirmed, his tone condescending in a lecture.

"Is that so? Then how do you explain your own defeat at Mt. Fuji?" Cornelia confronted, biting into his words, "As far I remember in our family, Lelouch was the only one close enough to be considered your equal back then. You were the superior between the two, and even then, you still lost."

"Heh, that was but a mishap of my part..." The fallen prince answered, shrugging his shoulders with open arms, "A war relies on many assets, each with their own minuscule potential to bring in the table. My actions may have owned me some boons on one side at the cost of others, but my actual mistake was to assume Lelouch wouldn't be able to make of use of such assets when they fell into his hands." He explained, glancing far off to the side, just where Suzaku, Lloyd, Cecile and Nina all stood together.

From this, there was much contemplation from the old goddess of the battlefield. Her expression seem alleviate for a moment, taking her time to face her brother shortly with a pensive stare, "No… You wrong, Schneizel. You are wrong in such way that even I can see it." She declared with a tone of epiphanous understanding.

"Hm? How so?"

"People aren't mere assets as you put it... This is something I'm certain you know, yet you either have forgotten it or you're just overlooking it in denial." She clarified, "War needs assets, that's true, but at same time, it's the struggle of pride and life that counts, that clash of conflicting ambitions storming in a mix. These things are what push those involved in it to strive and surpass their own limits for the sake of victory. What you call a mistake isn't exactly wrong, nor it's actually right. Rather, it is... incomplete."

Heeding her argument, Schneizel seem to stop briefly before letting a chuckle escape his mouth, "Ha ha ha ha, how amusing… Master Zero said the same thing to me, in his own way." He affirmed with planted smug, "Pride, ambition, desperation… Fragments of human psyche, of human nature… How quaint."

"..." At glance, his voice seemed gentle to the ears, adding an level subtlety to his reflection. However, Cornelia could just see the bland contempt laid bare before her.

"As you must have figured, we're at an impasse on this, sister. Neither you or Lelouch seem to notice how blind each of you are over the course of your lives, heading or headed to the path of the fallen. If so, I won't bother wasting my breath discussing this (_After all, my victory is already certain_)." He finishes, gently taking his stance to leave…

Looking at his back, at the heavy shoulders he carried along in the dark, Cornelia's expression didn't change, "(_So you say brother, yet I believe it's you who is the blind one here… So blind, that it almost feels pitiful… Almost..._)" She thought of it him, before sad smile crossed her face, "(_As for Lelouch… It is not my place to judge anymore. I can only imagine the horror you must be dealing with, Lady Marianne. To see your son go in the path he did… Really, what failure of a sister I had been..._)"

Her contemplations were her own, hidden from all but her very aide and companion, who stood by her side like always, caring, protective and vigilant...

* * *

Such sadness seems to have affect the world through as the stage has shifted to a later hour, just in the moment of the day's sunset end, clear in the view the livid metropolis of Tokyo. At that moment, it is shown to the jury the steps of a individual crossing the doors to leave the gambling establishment. He seemed alone, strolling into the sidewalk that was deserted...

"Hey, wait up, Lelouch Lamperouge!" But not for long however. Calling out from the road, a familiar voice shouted into view, arriving to his side in a blue motorbike. It was Rivalz once more, this time dressed in the same black student uniform that he wore.

Judging the blue man's reluctant expression and the reasons for the sudden appearance, Lelouch quickly made his assumptions, "What? You don't think it's fair for me to take half of the winnings?"

Shaking his head however, It seems he was proven wrong, "No, It just… I wondered, why did you saved me?" The young waiter inquired, clarifying himself.

Lelouch reflects for a second there and then closes his eyes, "Don't misunderstand, I wasn't trying to help you at all." He affirmed with hostile conviction, "What I wanted was to see that pompous snob bark like a dog..."

That attitude made the waiter blink, "You don't like them, the nobles?"

"I hate people who confuses their social rank with their personal abilities." The newcomer declared in cold expression, even turning his shoulder to leave as to end the unwanted conversation.

Rivalz quickly got that message there, "Wait, Lelouch!" But he wasn't quite done yet, "You're going back to school, right? I came here on my bike, hop on." He offered, hoping to make a friend today. Considering the chess skills he has shown and things both of them seemed to enjoy, it was a good opportunity.

"No thanks." Alas, he was unfortunately rejected, "I never liked the idea of hanging on to some guy's back." Came the bland explanation.

"Oh..."

"..."

And so, without another word, Lelouch left him and walked away, never looking back. Their meeting was brief and very through. Apparently he isn't that amicable after all...

"(_What a weird guy..._)" Rivalz concluded, seeing him disappear from the scene before smiling to himself, "(_But he's also kind of amazing..._)"

Truly, the young waiter there had a feeling that hanging out with this new guy just might make his boring life a little less dreary and a little more fun. However, to make that happen, he needed a way to inviting him up to his side. The only question was how...

"(_Oh, that's right!_)" Yet in that very moment, an epiphany crossed his face with plan. Using the money he had saved, plus the winnings from today, Rivalz decided to buy that BMC AR 1200 sidecar that caught his eyes a few days before this fated fiasco, "(_Yeah…_ _I think I got enough cash for this! Heh, I bet he won't mind riding in that._)" Thus, happy with his decision, the young waiter left for the road, setting his destiny to one day intermingle with one who would in the future destroy the world…

* * *

Thus, fading off, the session ends, casting this elusive yet passive feeling of ominousness to those that witnessed it. For all intended purposes, this particular memory, though friendly and hopeful, seem to reveal little as a whole, merely showing yet another connection between the one Demon Emperor and his fairly innocent acquaintances.

Such level of detail may seem irrelevant to bear at first, but hidden within, it actually foretells this looming tragedy that is to come. After all, what best way there is to shock and disappoint a friend in the future if not by establishing their good memories first? Lelouch's childhood was a example...

"Yelp, now you guys have seen it: The first time I ever met Lelouch. Pretty good, huh?" Rivalz commented, addressing his friends.

"Yeah yeah, I figured you would actually get yourself in trouble like a damsel to be saved. You got lucky that Lulu was there as your knight..." Milly expressed, giving a blase opinion about it.

"Isn't a bit too dangerous to be risking yourself in a bet like that though? If you had lost all that money..." Nina dreaded, shivering at the costs.

Smiling it through, the blue gambler admitted, "Erm… Yes, it kinda is, but that's the fun part about it, the stakes are often worth it. Of course, if you do your research and pick the right opponents, you can easily avoid this mess I did there."

"I'll be damned though. Old man played that Count like a boss." Gino added next, actually fascinated, "That was some intense game there."

"Heh, there's that and many more out there if you go looking." And drawing attention himself, the student council both listened and commented among themselves about the session, their words hardly echoing to those outside the circle.

Watching them closely, Kallen can only shake her head as she half-listened with a small smile at her friends antics, "(_Silly boys..._)" The stage had draw her interests shortly there but it was all overshadowed by a much bigger issue plaguing her head at that moment, namely the nature of the session itself…

Considering their discussion earlier, the redhead had her own speculations as what will be theme of the memory tomorrow. Such notions left her both worried and anxious to expect seeing how Lelouch came to know of her. As far as she knew, much like Rivalz, the prince had approached her on his own initiative, already suspecting and prodding her history as freedom fighter. If so, what is she missing? What will exactly be revealed to her? Kallen had many thoughts, each holding that sense of mystery that unnerved her. Lelouch has come and gone from her life as enigma, reaching into her heart with a passion that she reciprocated yet failed to bond with.

And now, with the truth is near, her heart beats strongly once more as she doesn't know what to expect. The man who once was known as Zero, the prince with the power of the king… He comes... soon...

"_Zero..._"

_**To be Continued...**_


	12. Stage 0,97 - The Eve of the Beginning

_Based the Picture Drama Stage 0.97 Hajimari no Zenya (The Eve of The Beginning), which was not officially translated as far as I've searched. In fact, this name was only found on a tumblr site that serves for index for many code geass extra content. Nevertheless, here it is..._

**Stage 0.97 - The Eve of The Beginning**

Amidst the windy plains of a countryside, another day goes on to bring change to the march of time…

From the shiny sun of morning to the black gloom at midday, the weather darkens itself up in the deep clouds above, threatening to gather and condense as monsoon is boon to pour in the lands below. Such is the predicament of a lone soul that wandered across the plains right there, her commoner dress dancing in waves against the tide while a long green hair sways wildly around her frame. She appears nonchalant to it though, staring over the enraging horizon with her uncaring eyes, merely ignoring the incoming storm to see something beyond it.

"This feeling… A shift is coming..." She utters alone, her tone vague and ominous, briefly concentrated on some sense of thought before a gust of wind strong enough manages to breaks her posture, forcing her to realize that she ought to seek shelter as soon as possible.

"Over here, young lady!"

"...?"

Fortunately for her though, an selfless local around this vast yet empty greenlands came to her rescue, offering some refuge in his humble abode of a cottage, safe from the rain. Before she knew it, her hand was grabbed and guided forth as they ran for it, slamming the door out in a hurry to salvage their wet clothes from the now falling deluge.

"Uff! That was tough, wasn't it? Damned season… It always like this over the month, tough for anyone crossing the road like ya…" The stranger mentioned with a distinct countryside accent. With a invite, he directs his hand and offers a room right over the clacking fireplace found inside, right into the comfort of heat and health, "So what's ya name, lassy? It can't be safe strolling around by yourself…" He came to ask, already passing a nice mug of chocolate he had ready.

The young woman then stared at him, her face still inexpressive, "I am but a traveler sir, a hermit, walking the earth of these lands." She affirmed, taking a warm sip calmly and collected, "My name has been long forgotten and I wish to keep it that way…"

"Oh… Okay?" Confused, the kind stranger delves into wonder, his further attempts to ask more about her being ending as naught but a futile effort.

Then again, none of what though or wanted mattered to her. Being reserved as usual, her name was something so precious that few ever had the chance to learn it… And while appreciative to the man's altruist gestures, not even her initials would be told to him, for such is way C.C wants it, keeping her privacy and identity preserved, a state that allows her mind to go in other places such as reflecting her previous steps in life over this world that has chosen to move onwards, bereft of the chaos of the past.

Ten months… It has been ten months since she left Lelouch to let him play his gambit and perish as a sacrifice for his long life ambition. For a time, from all that she heard of him being demonized and called names at, she observed the changes in this world alone, seeking for some meaning, some experience, or some new life to stumble upon. At first things seemed fine, her lone reclusion and the newfound inspiration letting her move forward as he intended her to do it.

However, that came to change in a rather sudden fashion as of late, something quite unusual for a perpetual being such as her. Indeed, a worrying sense of commodity came to haunt her once again, creating this void of silence around her, muted and lonely. It is hard to say if she actually misses seeing anyone familiar, but at same time, it can't be denied that the solitude that she once embraced so easily was starting to make C.C unnerved. She seemed to long for someone lately, to long for some place to be. It feels like she is being called upon, her name cast through the winds, reaching her ears at each day that passes.

And it all started about a week and half ago, just after the passage of last month...

"_Lelouch…_" She called forth in expectation, thinking of the first name that came into mind out from this desire for company.

Oh, how fate can be so cruel? Her gallant warlock, given the mercy of death to unite the world. Truly, Lelouch had been the most curious being to ever reach her life, a man of unparalleled valor, as virtuous as he as flawed, capable of the most incredible miracles while living so mundanely sinful. Just the way he behaved, demonstrating that uncalled altruism, that resilient kindness, that unwieldy determination… It is impressive how he alone managed to do what few did after thousands of years in her life experience, to open her eyes of attention and spark that fluttering passion of love.

Yes, C.C loved him, she loved him deeply. She could never forget how he managed to touch her abandoned heart with but a few words and acts… Could it be due to mere constant presence they shared often? Due to them being together for so long as accomplices? Due to them being almost equal to each other's intellect? C.C doesn't know. She can't comprehend it. Such is the way of true love, so mysterious and grand, drawing all but a giant unending wonder into one's life no matter how old it is. Perhaps this is why God has taken it upon himself to represent it, or why it is so prevalent in the religions of old as a uniting force.

It explains so much to her in how she just misses him right now…

"_Is this a sign I should return?_" She considered, holding her legs closer to the chest while encroached near the fireplace, watching as the flames dance vividly in her eyes.

The ich is great, and it's growing ever stronger now, something that rather annoys C.C in a sense since it threatens to deconstruct all that he beloved desired. In fact, to have such calling now… Perhaps her humanity had surfaced through once more, courtesy of her experiences with Lelouch and his band of misfits entering in her life. If so, then assuming she does return, what awaits for her back "home"? The war is over and no longer her old companions group together anymore. Kallen isn't there within easy reach for her to poke and tease at; Rakshata must be busier than ever with her research affairs to drink with her; and Kaguya has the whole U.F.N council to worry about instead of gossips and schemes.

Tamaki, Ohgi, Todoh, the rest of the Black Knights... They've gone on their own ways now, too settled in this peaceful world they have long fought for to bear her ominous presence anymore. And how could they after the latest resolution? At best, due to past allegiances with Lelouch, they're more keen to imprison and pester her soul out in a interrogation first before inevitably pursuing experiments with her immortality, maybe even going on their own to pursue geass or seek to eliminate her for it. None can deny the fear and curiosity of common humans after all...

But of course, that might be an over exaggeration of her part. Obviously the venerable guardians of today's world wouldn't be so heartless to her being, minimal as the possibility might be. That said, this doesn't mean she is willing to risk it. Too much headache and pain that way...

Hmph, what about the Academy then? C.C remember being always close with the kids in some vague way. Though presenting herself as nothing but a ghost laying about, she was actually acquaintances with both Nunnally and Kallen in some hidden fashion, something she could rely upon if not for bearing the same risks above in slightly smaller scale. At this point however, it can't be denied that she was as much as strangers to them as she is an vixen enemy who led their brother/friend/lover right into death.

Oh, and speaking of the Empress herself... Nunnally, Lelouch's beloved beacon of hope, the goal whom he vowed to stand and protect since his budding age... C.C has heard much of her efforts lately, taking up the mantle of the crowd with dignity and authority to lead the remains of Britannia's society with a gentle yet firm hand. It is a vast change from the times where she was so sheltered and shy in seclusion. It shows how much she has grown, seeking desperately to make use what she was left with, regardless of the tragedy of it all. Whatever her goals must be now, she bears a much greater burden to bother receiving the immortal's presence, something that would only bring her even more pain after the loss of her brother. And with all the power she now carries, one word could sentence her life down on the spot...

In short, from all these thoughts gathered, C.C realizes there's no place for her anywhere now. She has... no purpose at all, no meaning of being. Lelouch was her only risen cornerstone in this world, and he is no more. Her inspiration of continuing living is running out at an alarming rate and only now she is realizing this, uncommon as it is...

"(..._If only I had worked that plan before… If only I had smuggled his body out to search the signs... Maybe Charles's Code has-_)"

"-Is everything okay, lass?"

"...?"

Caught distracted, she was brought back to reality by the sound of the stranger's voice nearby.

"I'm asking if you're okay..." The man repeats, glancing with a solemn expression at her, "Seeing you watching the flames like this, quiet as a shadow in the cold… You have this sad look at your face, lassy." He affirms directly, the tone revealing concern.

"..."

"I know it's not my business to bother but, aren't you a bit too young for this hermit stuff?" He inquired, chewing some hay to blend himself against her unaffected expression staring back at him, "Bah! You don't have to answer it. Wouldn't work out what's in ye mind anyway..." He quickly dismissed, easily intimidated.

"..." C.C however, left somewhat hanging at his curiosity and his attempts of lifting her spirit, she just closed her eyes and faced the flames once more, figuring that perhaps she shouldn't just dismiss his efforts of comfort…

"I'm looking for a place to be, a home to return to, one which I also seem to have forgotten about." She revealed, vaguely confessing her heart out, "A friend of mine reminded me of something important in life and set me to reach for it, telling me to just not give up until I find it… You could say he just made me realize how much time I've lost pursuing a petty wish to go way and settled me straight on this travel for a while."

And as the fire crackles once more in the man's blinking eyes, his face features soften a little, "Tsk, darn kids with ye wishes…" He first complains, his tone lecturing yet reminiscent, "My daughter is much like ye in a way, always drawing over the fancy… She left me home to go make living in the city to - _live her own life _\- or so she said. Quite bright that one, very naive, but a bright one still… Too bad she never actually came back to us, to see her mother pass on to the next life…"

"..."

"Hmph, but I suppose I cannot blame her. I could never restrain her livid spirit calling for some good life out there. Maybe she is happy now, having found what she wanted. If so, I wouldn't know… Still, she may not have a friend like ours yet, but I sure hope to see her one day. Mistakes or not, one should always know they have a home to return to..."

C.C listened close to his passionate tone, already sensing the vague message laid within. She couldn't help but to relate, "(_A home to return..._)"

"So yeah... Maybe It's the same you, lass." The stranger continued, "I cannot speak for ye parents or anything, but I sure hope that you find what you seek. Trust that calling in ye heart. So long you retain that wit of yours, it will sure guide you to the right place."

His words echoed in the immortal's ears there, coursing deep in her mind as she patiently lays low and let her eyes set longly on the fireplace of the room once more, stretching the time of her gaze on the flames themselves, on the raging storm outside, on the clashing winds that raged on over the clouds, all the way long after his advice had passed, until it all arrived to a becalmed end, one cast in the rising sun of evening. Indeed, time flowed like a wind for her, and through it all, C.C stood there, watching it all the way from the windows, trying to see or sense that faint feeling that loomed over to call her presence again.

And in sure time, it would come, signaling her time to leave…

"Thank you, kind sir." She turned to the stranger, gracing him with gentle tone, "I shall take your advice to heart."

"Oh… I see. In that case, safe travels for you lassy. Godspeed."

A smile then would come to her face, pleased by the words of the simple man before her. It may have been a lonely company, one enshrouded over a solemn sadness of reflection, but it did serve as a good soul-searching experience nonetheless. From there, C.C would depart, taking the road alone once more, this time heading towards a grand city in pursuit of an airport. She would take detaur for good amenities, a proper bath for cleansing, and of course, a small turn into a all-you-can-eat pizzeria to fill quench her voracious stomach.

Yes, that's the plan now. She had decided herself. It's time to see what her mortal peers are up to. Surely, her arrival will no doubt shook them up real nice...

...As well as, put her into corner when they come for answers…

"(_Hmm… Just how long will your miracle last, Lelouch? How long will it take for them to know the truth, if they haven't known already?_)" Quite, now that she thinks of it, C.C realizes she needs quite the list of responses ready for her return and this could take a while. "Oh well, I have all the time I need~" She reasons quickly, not feeling the need to rush while her feet take to road in this beautiful horizon of a basking welcoming sun.

The walk alone will be long...

* * *

Alas, whilst one has all eternity on her side to review in patience, another cursed his infinity in doom in pure discontent…

Yes, the sight of his first meeting with Rivalz didn't appeal Lelouch much in regards to his tormentor's accusations. Arrogance? What arrogance? That _Count_ that he faced back there had ten times more of such sin then he ever had in his life! Feeding his sadism, stripping wealth from others, living on top of those below him… Any comparison between the likes of this cuntish noble against him, the Demon Emperor, is naught but absurd offense!

"You're wrong..." Lelouch affirmed, feeling compelled to object, "My pursuit for power was never this petty. Everything I did had a greater purpose at hand, an focused intention, a means to an end. My actions there only serve to prove the difference between me and them, that I sought to be more than the mere decadence of the Old Britannian mentality looking down upon others."

The judge listened to him, not shifting in expression as to see him through, "**And?**" She inquires back, with a tone of rebuttal, "**How does your answer challenges my judgment? Your ambition remains explicit, clear for all eyes to see. Petty or not, the way your actions and goals work together changes little of what I said. In fact, it only serves to confirms your own justification, as well as the true arrogance underneath. Not even you can deny this.**"

"Tch… Rivalz was-"

"**Saved, yes, but your real mentality never changed… You may not see yourself as one of them but the deeds are the same. Like any other noble, you sought only to degrade another of your kin and revel in the victory. Anything else that comes from that, planned or not, is but consequence…**"

"...!"

"**In the end,** **you abused of your friends' trust and settled a path of your own doing on the long run, a path of self-destruction at the cost of millions of lives at your death.**" She accused him, ever condescending in her tone, "**Did you ever consider what they would have thought had any of your mistakes echoed back to them? What consequences it would have in their simple lives?**"

Heeding her words, Lelouch grimaced, recalling the moments where his mere mishaps costed the light and happiness of his colleagues. He had to agree, the ways his plans could have gone wrong… They could have brought terrible catastrophes. And though he had planned for them all, he couldn't deny the inevitable bits. Most in the student council might not been so affected by the end of it, or at least, Milly and Rivalz aren't as far as he was concerned, but these thoughts certainly highlighted a certain innocent redhead into the mind, her gut cut open amidst a pool of blood where a knife has been plunged upon...

"I… I did consider it. All of it!" Lelouch answered, his tone faltering to a stop. He knew it was a lie, guilty strung lie, "But there was nothing else I could do! We could only stay at Ashford for so long! Our future, our careers… Each day that passed was a risk, a chance that Britannia could have found us, a chance that Father could have found us! If that ever came to happen… Ngh, I had to do something!" He shouted, voice raising at every word while his emotions flaunted, with him unable to mask them up on spot as tried find a excuse.

"**...**"

"I could not live with that… not with Nunnally being used again." Lelouch continued, crushed under the cold glare of his tormentor, "She had only me to save her, only me to find some solution, a way out. The trust Milly and the others gave to me only brought time. Maybe I could trust them to hide us from our pursuers, help us get away, but even with that, the solution would be short-sighted. We would be forever fugitives, forever in danger, and they would just be left behind to pay the price!"

"**...**"

"So, I had to do something on my own, something with that time… I had years in hand, years to crack my head around this. It didn't matter what it would cost from me. At that time, I pretty much knew the consequences..."

Hearing his grunting excuses, the judge relieved him from her stare, settling down to contemplate. Lelouch could already feel that looming threat of her words, "**Every action provokes an reaction… That's your justification.**" She first began, "**The truth is that once met with brief peace, you've lost yourself seeking a future to secure… It may have started with gambling, but It evolved to something much worse, much costly…**" She affirmed with a clear tone of pity.

"I had to protect Nunnally!" Lelouch screamed, gripping his chair with tense strength while facing his tormentor, only waver in a instantly, settling to look down. He seemed to enter into some trance, remiscining a memory much like a hallucination, his mind seemly manipulating his very perceptions through the Thought Elevator without a willing intention on spot.

It would just play it before him, the past of his memory just unleashed at every corner he looked from paranoia alone...

* * *

Such dread from the Fallen Demon seemed to echo over the Court, causing shivers on the spine for the Jury that now arrived. With a single glance, they all sought to keep themselves reserved once more as the unease settled in. And even the Student Council who is usually the most talkative of the crowd didn't seem keen to whisper a word despite the usual curiosity for tonight's session...

Indeed, what direction will the so called "Judge" will lead them now? This is the question plaguing everyone's mind…

So far, it has been revealed that no secret is unknown to her given how even she can extract memories even from the depths of one's mind to wrap a story at will. This much has done leagues to cut down many doubts to what expect from the Demon Emperor's past since historically speaking most, if not all, of the information shown here was accurate to a fault. So, there's no point on questioning it.

In fact, on waking side of things, no trace of King's Court can be remotely detected by the many scientists employed by the U.F.N coalition. The material remains of Britannia's old research in ancient ruins are doing little to appoint results, their mechanisms being far too strange and foreign to be comprehended. And even with the invested resolve from the now present veterans of the war in the room to seek answers, fear and caution was all too endearing as to prevent an calamity from happening.

And that's not to mention the forbidden wonders of Geass… Truly, just what mysteries it has? Most of the jury knows of it's dangers and expect much disaster to come out of it as days passes by without a solution. Who is to say what will come next after the Truth is revealed? What secrets will exactly be revealed? And more importantly, is even safe for anyone to be allowed to learn such truths? No one knows for sure.

The crowd can only wait in shivers, their anxieties growing deep under a the unusually oppressive atmosphere of tonight's session.

"**Fear… This is what the Accused One have felt. The fear of loss, the fear of innocence, the fear of peace.**" Spoke the owner of this nightly domain, "**Under such duress, the Tyrant did what he could to form some assurance for the future. The time he now had in his hands was to be spent wisely, lest he himself be cast into oblivion by his Father once more.**"

And revealing herself, the judge materialized in a pitch black stage, with no fancy pictures as a form in introduction…

"**However, said time was growing short. Whatever blessings his new friends had bestowed to him, it did little to resolve that paranoia from ever growing in his heart. And as each day neared on, the Accursed One would begin to feel desperate as the looming obstacles of his ambition stacked up to contain him...**"

* * *

**Stage 0.97 - The Eve of the Beginning**

Over the sound of working machinery and the trembling roar of gunfire, the session begins with straight ongoing action, the stage shaking under what appears to be an engagement of Knightmares from the point of view of a cockpit.

What the jury sees there is the resounding tension of the pilot, with young hands pulling and controlling the machine's levers as to retreat from the clear assault before it, trying a desperate attempt to escape the cornering squad of black painted Glasgows. Whoever his enemies are, or what scenario this is, the answers are all but unknown. The ruins of the battlefield seems bland to look at, the scenery is too blurry or unfocused to recognized and there's little to no comms-chatter transpiring to make sense of the situation, much less distinguish and recognize the skirmish itself from any historical event previously known before the revolution.

Alas, whatever situation is right now, the engagement neared into a corner when several hits seem to glance the pilot's machine, the bullets making the screen shake wildly on stage. Soon after, the sensors on his cockpit start to flare, beeping loudly as his both the interior and the screens go red, the damage doing something to his power readings…

"The Energy Filler!… Where's the spare!?" The pilot speaks, his voice clearly recognizable at this point, the panic taking over ever so slightly now that an alarm soars in his seat, "Damnit!" Which lasts for seconds until the whole screen suddenly shuts down, killing the lights and all the sounds within, leading to black end.

"..."

A sigh then is heard and from that moment on, only Lelouch's voice follows…

"Level B-." He utters begrudgingly, reading his own score on the cockpit's screen, "Is this the best that I can do?"

The tension from the battle is all gone for a reason. His supposed enemies just disappeared, and at the sight of his current location, it's certain now that something was strange for the Jury.

After pulling a lever to detach his seat backwards up to outside, the man himself is revealed, clad in his black student uniform of the old days. And from what can be seen around hin, Lelouch was in what appears to be an enclosed warehouse, his seat currently attached to sizable block-shaped container next a set of stairs, with a computer right over a table nearby. Lots of the crates surround the place, which seems to be deserted and untouched, with naught but low light illuminating everything from the ceiling.

Through this, It doesn't take long for anyone to understand what exactly followed there…

* * *

"A Knightmare Simulation..." Rakshata commented, lifting a eyebrow in praise, "How resourceful of him."

"Indeed~" Lloyd at her side agreed, "Although when it comes to being a devicer, His Majesty has little to offer." He added, judging the apparatus. Quite, it seems Demon Emperor comes off as nothing but a little above average in common knightmare models.

"Still, for a student like him to acquire such equipment..." Cecile on the other hand didn't know if she should feel awestruck or distressed when seeing proper military kit in the hands of a mere teenager, even if said teenager was fated to grow into a future menace.

"Well damn... I guess we now know where he was spending his gambling winnings on." Rivalz spoke whistling, "I've always wanted to play on one of these. Maybe I should find one to buy..."

"Cool! If you manage to get one, I could teach you some of my skills." Gino suggested, springing a smile at his eager friend.

Looking at the two, Kallen seemed doubtful, "Good luck with that. You won't find this stuff anywhere if you don't know where to look..." She affirmed with conviction. Now that revolution is over, all Black Market interests should be down. Either that, or the sellers are scattering like bugs to sell anything as quickly as they can before the products go obsolete...

Hearing the little chat of her friends and watching her brother deeds, Nunnally was rather pensive on it all. Now that her eyes can see, this fairly simple glimpse of a skirmish reminds her slightly of the few times she felt present in a combat scenario hearing the muffed sound of gunfire and the smell of death. And despite this being just a simulation of sorts, the brunette girl couldn't help but to ask, "Hmm, is this how the battlefield looks like?"

Kallen, having heard this fairly innocent question, glanced over Gino who just shrugged. The redhead ace didn't know how to answer, "W-well, kinda… It can be pretty chaotic at times." She answered reluctantly.

"**No.**"

However, at the harsh tone of Zero's sudden voice, his denial is clear, "**It is much worse Your Majesty, much much worse...**"

"Oh..."

Said words silence the young adults as they vividly imagine what the vigilante meant through morbid curiosity alone. Quite so, the image of Japan's Invasion quickly comes into mind there...

"R-right, so Lelouch here is… Preparing for the worst then?" Milly pondered, taking a look at the stage, at the sour face of the young deadman himself. She tried to reason her friend's intentions with a optimistic look but found it hard to do so given the previous dark introduction and the implications within.

The rest of her teammates would silently agree with her there but only Nina of all people had the courage to say it straight, "He is preparing for the war."

Safe to say, that did quite the job of leaving them alarmed as their eyes turned to the session at hand...

* * *

Soon after, Lelouch is shown stepping down from the inert cockpit, his face solemn and thoughtful as he reads the flowing data that crossed over from the computer screen. There, he is quickly reviews the same engagement he just had gone through from the start to finish, down to his very defeat, all the in merest ounce of details.

"If only I could command a patrol plane... That would solve some of the problems." Alas, disappointed with the results, he just shuts down the equipment and proceeds to leave, his steps echoing loudly in the dark corridors, seen and witnessed by none, while his mind gears into self-reflection, "(_That black market knightmare simulator is the top of the line. Assuming that Clovis will have at least five soldiers with him I might be able to scare him slightly..._)"

...

"No, I've been deluding myself…" Alone in his mumblings, Lelouch appeared strained. His neck felt tight for some reason, and no matter how much he fixed it, the pressure could still be felt there, like a phantom pain strangling him down, "(_When it comes down to it, I suppose I could use the KMF's ejection blocks to do the job…_)" He continued, mentally putting into action what he had in mind to sort his current ambition: his plan to kill and overthrow the current Viceroy gleaming in his mind.

However, major issues remain, "...What I really need is another person I can rely on, someone I could be sure would never betray me but of course there's no one like that…" He verbally affirmed to himself, delving quickly into his option at hand, his intellect working overdrive to find a solution, "(..._Suzaku Kururugi?_)" The prince briefly considers someone, daring to find hope in a past long abandoned for a second before shaking his head in wanton pragmatism, "Even if he's still alive, he might have changed by now…"

(_But if only I could find him again, then maybe-_)"

"No, forget it!"

This is a strange self-discussion to follow. Two parts of a brilliant mind going in conflict over some escalating issue. The jury would have to pay attention to understand his ever growing concerns…

"(_At any rate, I need to make a decision soon. My critical point will be my graduation from Ashford. Going on to any university will result in me being forced to separate from Nunnally and if comes to that I just won't be able to predict what would happen. So before I graduate, we need to escape from Britannia together..._)"

"But where?... And how? Unfortunately, the EU still needs to shore up it's infrastructure and conditions inside the Chinese Federation aren't exactly stable for safe travel."

"(_Hm… I've wondered about opening a money-laundering account and put my winnings from illicit chess there in order fill in savings but the risk of discovery is too great. It would be faster if I could take a loan out from the banks but that would require me to officially register my identity… These are not any choices..._)"

"Tch! We'd better off as Elevens!"

"(_We could use someone else's family registry. This would solve the issue quickly..._)"

"But we would still need the passports in the end. I can't keep us safe unless our faces stay hidden!"

"(_..._)"

Frothing in contempt, Lelouch was visibly stressed under his circumstances there. No matter how he looked at it, he was pinned down at this avalanche of problems. It's nothing but obstacles pilling on top of obstacles coming out of this mental discussion, feeding his bitterness even further as the drive to survive and protect his beloved stood above everything and everyone his life had come through.

Even himself…

"Remember: Don't stand out. Don't draw attention. Don't let them find you… _Stay quiet... Very, very quiet… Wait for your chance… Wait it, even as your heart and mind rot into dust... Just wait…_" He whispered to himself, his tone almost falling to a mantra as it tried to quell the rage boiling inside him, to drown that indignation of a life unfulfilled, to kill this sadness that hoped to drag him into the abyss of depression.

Truly, everything just seeks to topple him down. In that dark warehouse, Lelouch felt alone in this battle, alone in this darkness that encroached everything around him. There, he feels that if he does one wrong move then it's all over for him and for Nunnally...

…

…

...

"(_I know, I know it already!)_" Frustrated, Lelouch's face warps into a deeper scowl. His steps catch up in pace, leading him to this light that could seen at the end of the corridor, "(_In the end, there's nowhere I can run to escape them… Hmph! And what am I trying to escape from? An army? A nation? No, I'm escaping from my own father!_)"

Soon enough, he finds himself walking outside, at the sunny sky of midday, his frowning face fully exposed just as the school bell chimes in the distance, it's echo signalling the end of recess…

"(_Yes, that why I have to make sure. Repeating these words over and over to myself..._)" Lelouch, stumbling to a sound agreement, seems to regain his resolve once more, the voices of his mind wrapping back to one, "(_My name is Lelouch Lamperouge, not Lelouch vi Britannia. I'm not the son of the Emperor or the Empire anymore. That's how things are now. I have nothing but my own strength, determination and freedom to fight on!_)"

"(_But the time for resistance is nigh... I, who was exiled by blood, who was throw out from the Imperial Family, I'll work from the shadows to usurp this country. I know the cards are stacked against me, but so what? I don't have a choice… It won't be long before Cornelia starts to act and I'll have Euphy to worry about too. As far as I can see, going home with Nunnally every night will make us both easy targets!_)"

Drawn passionate by his very own thoughts, his expression alleviates just slightly at the sight of his friends down the road. There, the many members from the young student council await for him, already calling for his presence. However, ignoring them straight, Lelouch's eyes remained focused on the one soul among them that matters him the most…

"(_Yes… I made a vow to use whatever strength I possess to save Nunnally. That's all that matters to me in this world…_)" His sister's smile, glowing as she turns at his direction, "(_That is what I live for!_)"

And so that's how it goes. Nunnally herself, brightening his very being, inspiring his ambitions to move onwards. Indeed, much of the obstacles Lelouch discussed alone there would one day be all tackled again, his worries and his goals clashing against each other over and over, until an answer is found.

Or, until a certain power falls into his hand to break the cycle...

* * *

Such was the ominous message there that it drawn the sheer attention of the jury down into Lelouch's inner monologue.

Quite, though the session was rather short, the deadman's words brought deep shivers to the shoulders of many at the end of the stage. And through it all, none had words to comment at first seconds of its passage. Rather, the crowd looked completely absorbed in the suspense of the prince's desperation, listening to his driven thoughts and his very motivation of being...

Everyone knew of the Demon's Emperor hatred for Britannia, his actions in life served much to confirm such thing. Yet, even then, to think this came from such conviction towards protecting his sister, from such obsession and paranoia… It adds much contrast to his crimes to the chargrim of the most skepticals and the resolution of the faithful.

"Heh, trying to kill a Viceroy with a couple of Glasgows and targeted ejection blocks… Not bad, for a desperate plan." Xingke praised first, unable to contain his short smile around Lelouch's ambition. In a way, he respected the fallen prince for his bold plans.

"Still, with such worries clouding his mind isn't better to just lay low in some other way?" Questioned Xiaglin, frowning over the demon's recurring dilemma, "He himself knows of his limits, but to drive himself this far..."

"Well, I don't blame him." The genius general however quickly dismissed such notion, "Given his circumstances, I would have done the same in his place." He affirmed, going as far as to see himself in Lelouch's shoes, also worrying about the fate his beloved in a country where all odds were against him. Xingke wouldn't admit it straight but he couldn't deny the resemblance between him and the Demon when it came to personal vows. Jiang's smile is proof of that.

"I suppose this makes it clear then..." Todoh reflected, drawing eyes to him, "By the time Lelouch got himself involved in the war, it was far too late for us to intervene… He was too embroiled in his hatred and fear to be reasoned with."

His sour conclusion, crude in truth, faced little argument to bear. As proven before, the man who would be known as the Demon had grown too bitter in his childhood to be convinced out of his machinations. In his mind, every action was justified, with all the reasons and the consequences paid in full, sad as it actually was for everyone to accept it...

"W-Was it really that bad?" A shy voice doubted, coming from no other than the little Empress of China, "Was there really no other way? No one to help him?" Though putting a strong face, Tianzi was distraught over Lelouch's worries. After adequately immersing herself in many history books over the past days, she had a clear picture of what horrors surrounded the fallen prince through time, something that deeply scared her when learning.

"Jiang..." Xingke could see her tremble yet he had no wisdom at hand this time around to bring her comfort, no clear way to diminish the uneasy reality of the facts revealed there.

And in that same notion, even Suzaku, who was silently listening in, felt broken in the bout of hopelessness and frustrations around Lelouch's inevitable fall. His old friend needed help. He needed someone he could trust to protect Nunnally. He needed someone to help him see some alternative other than usurping Britannia so that he could find peace. He needed something, no matter how small, to prevent him from necessarily starting that horrible bloodshed of a revolution.

This realization made the man underneath the mask shake slightly in resentment, "(..._If only I was there for him!_)" Suzaku couldn't help but to judge himself, blaming the past mistakes under the pointless self-righteousness. So blind was he was lost to his feelings there that he couldn't even comprehend what Nunnally herself felt after watching this stage...

"No, big brother… Not like this..."

Truly, to see Lelouch so devoted to her cause to the point of disregarding himself on the way crushed the poor girl's heart. It was already bad to accept how the loss of a proper childhood had led Lelouch into bad vices, but now, seeing him there, so committed to her happiness in a time where things were fine… It just shattered the illusion of her peaceful life in the Ashford Academy.

Her brother wasn't happy when he said it. Her brother wasn't fine when she asked it. Those were just lies he said to her face each day that passed back in the academy. All this time, he was there, constantly worried about her future, constantly planning and plotting while everyone carried on blissfully ignorant, all for the sake of working his revolution.

Was it all a lie then? All those joyful moments with the council? All those carefree moments of mirth and laughter with Milly's crazy schemes? Nunnally doesn't know, nor she wants to...

It is way easier to believe that Lelouch just latched himself to his friends for solace to one day fall to hatred than otherwise. However, to even have that cast in doubt when the facts lay before her… Nunnally didn't want to face it, she doesn't want to believe it. She could only stand there, crying to herself while surrounded by her shaken friends who could little but to stay close at hand.

"Aw, Nunnally is sad…"

And watching from afar, Anya pouted softly at the tearing sight of the Britannian Empress. She was indecisive about joining the others there, her sullen instincts wanting to guard her. That same hesitation was imprinted among the two beside her, their faces warped into self reflection in refrainment.

Still relenting from their discussion from yesterday, Jeremiah stirs once more under the despair of both his dead master and Her Majesty crying at distance. Their sorrow and struggles are such that it leaves him with both hand and gauntlet shaking ever so slightly from his own founded guilt, unreasonable as it is to be delving into from a past long resolved.

Fortunately for him however, with a single glance from Sayoko's comprehension eyes, filled with that humble smile she discreetly displays to him, the uneasy is washed off. The resolute maid once more proves to be stronger than him in a sense, the core of her chivalrous heart unwavering even at the most distraught of scenes… It really shows the willpower of the japanese at face of adversity.

"Now, that's strange..."

And to prove that point even further, amidst the growing sadness inside the court, one young voice let her words echo out loud for all to hear...

At glance, Kaguya appeared thoughtful to the crowd, her face heavy in expression, with a hardened mask of seriousness as to not disregard or disrespect those lamenting in the room, while at same time presenting herself straightforward for a epiphany, much like a politician with a proposal to offer…

"What's wrong, Sumaragi-sama?" Ohgi asked, uncomfortable with the looming silence.

She then turned to him, her face unchanged, "Lelouch's words back there: ..._What I really need is another person I can rely on, someone I could be sure would never betray me…_" She repeated, pointing it out, "It's strange. What about C.C? Wasn't she always been his ally from the beginning?"

...

….

…...

Her question hanged forth there, weighting in everyone's mind until it clicked them: The Witch isn't accounted for. The Demon didn't mention her directly as a trusted ally in his desperation. It is as if Lelouch didn't ever meet her before even though there was a whole discussion around her impossible presence in the Kururugi Shrine past 3 sessions ago. The implications of this are so deep that it couldn't be avoided.

"W-wait, what does this mean? Didn't we see her way back then?" Tamaki first inquires, head scratching in doubt.

His comrades quickly follow suit, "Yeah, I do remember. This is strange..." Sugiyama admits.

"Maybe it's because he was just a kid?" Argues Yoshitaka, "I mean, he could have just forgotten about it."

Among the murmurs, speculations ran wild, their thoughts winding back to when they accused little Lelouch of his crimes of weakening japan and paving away a path for Britannia's invasion…

If what is said above is true, then it's clear that they might have gotten things wrong, something that Ohgi quickly latched on, "T-Then the Prime Minister Genbu wasn't-"

"No, this is a trick!" Chiba retorted lashing out, "We can't just trust whatever this cursed dream reveals to us like this. Obviously, it would just obscure the actual facts from us, specially with the Demon looking so obsessed with his goals."

"Yet, where does this leaves us? Haven't we confirmed and agreed on the sheer accuracy of the sessions?" Villeta bounced back at her, "Back then, we weren't so sure of her involvement clearly but, for all that we know C.C could just have been acting alone all this time." She argued.

"I see, and since she might have held grudges against Britannia, it makes sense for her to plot against our country." Guilford complemented, pondering along, "She might as well have joined or used Lelouch for that reason..."

"And then granted him that accursed power to destroy us all in sequence!" Cornelia concluded, threading everything into a short yet plausible epiphany, which cast another gloom over the crowd, giving room for a uneasy mix of appealment and curiosity.

Once more this cursed plot leads them back to the mysterious Witch and her involvement with the Demon's rise...

"(_But, is it actually that simple?_)" Schneizel questions, also making his own conclusions about all of this, "(_If Code-R really had such goals and powers in mind, she should have drawn far more notoriety as a enemy of Britannia during the war, specially with Lelouch in her palm. Hmm… No. I have hard time believing this to be the case. My little brother displayed too much caution and control over himself to be just a pawn. Did he came on the top over this to control her? Or was this her plan all along? Hmm..._)"

Working his monstrous intellect at once, the gallant prince held his judgement at the face of uncertainty. He, like many in the crowd, has many spillaring theories on how it all begun. And with this one session sealing forth Lelouch's motivation, C.C remains as the only puzzle left as to gauge what her goals really were or are as of now. After all, with the Demon Emperor gone, the Witch still is out there, working whatever nefarious act she has in mind.

Their only hope is for her swift capture in the real world, leaving the nights and the dreams of the Court to elude them with the promises of the truth, all of which will come in time...

_**To be Continued… **__(In the first episode of the anime!)_


	13. Stage 1 - The Day a Demon was Born Pt1

_Good god, I was dreading this… I just remembered something horrible..._

**Stage 1 - The Day a New Demon was Born**

Under the gaze of the stars, night instead of day beckons in the waking world, revealing the vacated roads of the new Britannian Capital in this cold atmosphere that chills one's shoulders. And out there, walking through a empty hall of a fortified structure, the shadowed silhouette of a towering man silently stalks forward in the corridor, with the silver of his clothes reflecting under the moonlight, briefly revealing his short blond hair hidden in the dark.

Schneizel has adopted quite the routine since days past, keeping a low profile by hiding in plain sight, merely shuffling his schedule into a extremely busy ordeal to follow orders and accomplishing his tasks as a smoke screen where he could abuse in small slips. Ever since the world came into the control of the U.F.N, he had far too few pieces in hand to create an attainable rise back to power. The opulent aristocracy of Britannia was ruined, most countries have reformed their military, and those few who had any real strength to wash over the power vacuum left by Lelouch's demise are currently being dealt by might of the Black Knights.

Indeed, against such conundrum on having to deal with Zero's own personal existence and his own compelled actions under geass, the renegade prince has his liberty rather limited to act, even more so now that his consciousness had been partially freed in their eyes.

Given the imminent threat of the King's Court, he has been frozen off from his U.F.N seat for the time being, with his diplomatic duties currailed and restrained only to managing the remains of Britannia right under the graces of his militant sister Cornelia. Clearly after Damocles, practically everyone is keeping their eyes on him, ever vigilant and cautious as he does his own things, having Zero and the Regent alternating roles in both watching over him and guarding a young Nunnally whenever the masked vigilante was off to do his own thing.

Now, such reaction was expected from them, so desperately trying to avert a disaster. It's so obvious and predictable, but still a effective nuisance to deal with. In fact, from the few times he actually managed to get a little of Nunnally's personal attention to himself, it's clear to him now that his own charisma will never be able to convince the little girl into a position of leverage ever again. She had her fair share of lies through her whole life to be enough guarded around him, which cuts his options even more...

"(_I suppose this is what you've felt Lelouch… Constraints surrounding you from every side._)" Schneizel reflected, impassive to his circumstances.

However, not all pieces are off the table yet. Not everyone enjoyed this new age of peace that was brought to the masses. Quite, just where he was heading at right now, lurking hidden amidst this very discreet private domain belonging to an alias, a small remnant cadre of nobles gather in secret to congregate and plot much like the old days, sharing their own dreams and ambitions of the lost past, all in the hopes of recovering that aristocratic supremacy much valued by late reign of Emperor Charles.

And quite so, they had to endure much to attain that miracle of a wish, specially with how little have accomplished so far...

Right now, this extremely short minority is only loosely organized, held together with nothing but promises, charisma and sworn favors rather than actual results as of yet. If it wasn't for their craven nature of immediately joining Lelouch upon his so Imperialistic call to service, one could say these nobles wouldn't not be alive nowadays. In fact, they would rather be left as geassed slaves much like the many others that survived.

Nevertheless, Schneizel had a offer for them, one they just can't refuse. Though he was treated as madman to the world in whole, the nobles in here still recognize his _resolve_ in full, viewing his _crimes_ back in the Damocles as nothing but an act worthy of a proper Britannian royalty, a display of true strength and authority, fit for the title of an Emperor. If there is any chance for them to go back to those wonderful days of supremacy is through him, through his genius prodigal goals.

Alas, in Schneizel's eyes though these very nobles are nothing but a means to an end, mere resources to be used and discarded as he sees fit. With his little brother Lelouch out of the way, gone in his wasteful display of flaunting theatrics for a illusory moment of peace, few are those left who can possibly challenge him directly when his plan unveils.

Thus, here we are, in a visit long awaited...

"You have come, my prince."

"...?"

A familiar voice greeted the renegade gallant just as he arrived in the dark halls of some quarter. It belonged to a rather effeminate looking individual, a tall, blue eyed man with a long rose-golden hair that was tied up, his very form clad in a humble subservient line of noble clothing, very fancy and militaristic to look at but welcoming in notion, meant to stand at the sidelines or serve as backup instead of presenting assertiveness.

"Hmph… Indeed. You have fared well, Kanon." Schneizel addresses forth, glad to see none but his very own right hand, Kanon Maldini, alive and well.

"Hardly. Managing grand schemes outside public eyes is a hard affair. These old noblemen carry many doubts and demands."

This former Earl served him well even after all these months of struggle. Thanks to his _kind _act of getting Cornelia her treatments for the bullet wounds at Damocles, Kanon handled himself just fine after the defeat at Mt. Fuji, publicly renouncing his allegations and effectively creating this image of distancing himself from the renegade prince in self preservation.

It was a last ditch effort planned by Schneizel in the case of his eventual death, as well as a means to leave such valuable friend to go on and live without him. After all, the gallant prince, even as a devil to some, does still care in a way. As a result, this action served better than Schneizel himself expected it. Both Lelouch's and Cornelia's mercy to Kanon, not even bothering to put a hole in his head gave the renegade a most value piece in return, helping him further in his resurgence as Kanon's loyalty still remained preserved.

"...Well, that is normal considering the circumstances. I figured that keeping masks in these strict times tries much of their patience. They will have to fall in line however. It will be long before we're able to act accordingly." Acknowledged the prince, moving on to the current plans, "Now, does the contract in the exterior holds?"

"So far they have agreed on principles but negotiations are slow. The emissaries from Zilkhstan have yet to give us a response to our last conditions. There's no clear insurance of their support. They seem reluctant to come into an conclusion all of sudden which is strange considering their declining economic interests." Kanon affirms.

This leaves Schneizel pensive on the word, his mind already thinking ahead on what's coming, "Reluctant huh? No… On the contrary actually." He argues, "Given their fame as invincible warriors, It's possible that they managed to see through what've sent them and now they're preparing accordingly."

"Oh. I see, but can we really trust them, my lord?"

"Trust them? Of course not, they are ambitious degenerates with a love for war. No, they are just pieces to be used like everyone else, crude but efficient, not to be as easily underestimated." Judged the prince, smirking in response, "We should wait and see their next move."

Kanon, not fully grasping what his liege is plotting, concends silently. He knows well the kind of mastermind prince Schneizel is… Although it was strange that for him to freely hand over Britannia's current and future military schedules as free intel to these untrusted foreigners, one could guess that his plan is centered around weakening our country defenses for a possible coup by proxy. However, if that's the case, them why did the Zilkhstanians reject the contract? Isn't this a cut-clear business for the so called warriors in a time of peace? Is it a matter of honor? Hmm...

"Now, let us convene with the nobles and calm down their nerves, shall we?"

"Of course, my prince."

Nevertheless of it, Schneizel remains unworried. Whatever the foreigners' move is, the scope of his liege's plot is unfolding ever so steadily. Princess Cornelia and her peers are busy with their witch hunt on the past, so no one will miss the slightly shuffling of material resources that is now being scurried away under the carpet to build up the prince's Royal Liberation Army, as it was being called…

Food supplies; ration projections; sustainable food ration planning in long term; unsustainable food ration planning with appended lists of estimated casualties; estimated civilian casualties from the initial invasion plans; estimated soldiers numbers in our hand; regiments; their officers; the planned hierarchy; recruitment and training regimens; their individual citations; their reasons to join; their shames; their "moments of glory" and so on; current numbers of knightmares available; current models; current systems; current weapon supplies; ammunition; specialists; key devices; transports; militia; these and whatever else there is to be discussed for general army logistics was to called and considered under the prince's whims…

And this is merely the overview... There's also the coup plans; Britannia's coastal defenses; military bases; estimated enemy numbers; their strength; their data; the means to defeat them; local geography; battle plans; estimated enemy reactions; contingencies; subterfuge; counter-intelligence; secret plots; current noble factions; their allegiances; their interests; their petitions; their arguments; their resources; their current power compared to ours; contact plans; trade arrangements; conspiracies; complaints; the accounts; the dividends…

*sigh*

Truly, Schneizel planned for and directed everything.

There was no venue that he missed and he made sure that his acomplicances follow every step of his word out in these discreet times. Of course it is known that few, if not none, could possibly recall everything of this grand investment in one go which is why each key noble in hand would be actually tasked with a singular current objective to avoid future complications. As one can imagine, practically none of them could possible match the prince's monstrous intelect at work. This easily insured their dependency on the man alone, leaving Schneilzel's existence as a grim yet possibly glorious image as what is to come.

Even more, the man even planned for the King's Court itself, being quite thankful to have such occurrence even happening in first place, for otherwise he would never be free from Lelouch's influence completely. With a distinct schedule out of the world's time zones, Schneizel could easily act effectively in the short week of his newfound freedom, working on his plans all while indulging in whatever secrets his fallen brother had gone through in the past.

The prince is avoiding thinking of it, but it can't be denied that even he shared some manner of curiosity in regards to Lelouch's past lore. Rather, there is something peculiar about it that draws his interest in those court sessions, bland as they might feel. Maybe it's poor boy's suffering in his tale; maybe it's his sheer perspective of ambition; or maybe it's just how things seem to conveniently fit to show how his fall was just fated. Indeed, the secrets are out there and Schneizel was keen to learn about them.

After all, not even he wanted to miss out what he can learn from just gazing at the past, specially to prevent a repeat in the future...

* * *

However, as the interest of the living lies in the past, at least one among the dead was otherwise sick of it.

Lelouch stared at his overbearing younger self who indulged in both desperation and hope out from the Thought Elevator only to feel that contempt rising from his stomach. Was he wrong to be so devoted to his dream? So willing to seek up his cause? Is it a crime for him to dare challenge his fate, impossible as it was to manage it? No! It cannot possibly be! The world back then filled him with dread! Só full of malice and injustice, and all that he had wanted was a chance, a chance to turn it for the better! For him and for Nunnally!

Yes, his heart was in the right place, it had to be. These feelings that surged in, they were his drive… His fuel… His motivation… His... desires...

"**Such conviction… Such fear...**" The Tormentor judged the Dead Emperor as his eyes darted, his mind going wild as if some epiphany struck him, "**I suppose there is no denial of it.**" She affirmed.

"He… Hehehehe… HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Lelouch then smiled, a smile that turned into a chuckle, morphing seconds later into a full blow laughter, all centered around some undistingable form of madness that overcame him. Snickering hatred clotted his eyes, dripping with poison as his glare met the unfeeling eyes of the judge, "Heh! Why… Why I, of all people, have to dwell on such excuses?"

"**Hm?**"

"You are manipulating me. Playing with my emotions like a fiddle, inciting them out of my grasp." He accused the being, "I can feel it even now, the tugging… It should have been obvious since the first hour and yet... I let it slide. Hmph, is suppose THIS is to be my punishment, isn't it? This constant… breakdown, of my very being. Your judgement is to crush me. To crush my very soul by toying with my heart, with my way of thinking..."

"**Is that what you wish to believe?**" She retorts, her reaction remaining nonchalant to his open dismay.

"Shut up! Just… shut up. I had enough of this. Enough of these games... Put an end to this farce. You already know the truth." He implicated, eyes feeling heavy and tired, distraught yet angry, wanting to do nothing but to surrender while at same time too proud to mellow and beg about it.

"**Hmph… Ufufufufu…**" Such response amused the judge, going as far as to incite her a frightening mock of chuckle, something unheard of until now. And coming from a being that so far remained condescending and heartless in her omniscience, even the so called Demon Emperor shivered at her creepy visage of her modest smile, "**Why yes… You are correct, Accursed One. We do know the truth... Just as we know every thought of every mind, every ploy of the soul, every consequence of every act you've conceived. No secrets exist for the likes of us.**"

"..." At that, Lelouch gulped, the edge of nervous sweat crawling down his face even as his glare remained.

"**However, that does not mean that **_**they **_**know of it…**" She continued, revealing something confusing, "**The** **truth, while it's known for the both of us here, it's not truly known to all existence, not fully recalled to rest beyond. There are those out there who bear the right to know your very actions. Those who wish you to follow this trial, regardless of its futility.**"

"(_What…?_)" Baffled, the fallen prince recoiled at her words for a second, delving into quick speculations, "But who would… Who else…?"

_Those who bear the right to know_… That echoed strong on him. Who could they be? The Living? The Dead? Well, It would make sense if they both were the ones wishing for the truth. But then what does that says about the faces I'd saw? This thing is the Collective Human Unconsciousness, right? She showed to him herself, the faces of his acquaintances, his family. She even told him about them being part of herself… And yet even then, it can't be living of the present day if they're dead, otherwise this court lies in the future somehow, one where the answers are missing.

…

A timeless endeavor then? A proof of this place being well… "out of time"?

"(_Well, my account of time has been warped in this place so maybe…_)" Lelouch was fully drawn into silence, his face gone thoughtful there, uncaring of the anger just felt earlier. He had his theories from what the Judge just revealed to him. And for some reason, he felt unable to dismiss the notion of the Jury's identity, nor ignore its importance, "(_Who? Who could they be? It's can't be living, it can't be the dead, it can't be even the god before me… not when all of them already knows the truth in full... So who or what in the world is watching this court… Who is the Jury?_)" The very question plagued him.

"**It will all be revealed soon, just after the passing of your judgment.**" The woman ominously added, just when the thought came to him. She still had that smile, inviting at glance yet appalling in aura, with eyes that betrayed the impossible concept of empathy to him.

"..." It this is all too incomprehensible for the Fallen Emperor to follow.

"**Now, let us not distract ourselves too much.** **The Jury awaits…**"

And at her words, Lelouch couldn't help but to glance around his surroundings, to stare at the empty white void of the horizon in the search of some answers right before a scenery began to form, drawing his eyes towards the next materialized thought of a memory…

"**The moment of you ambition now takes form, your time to rise had finally fell into your hands. The Power of the King beckons thee...**"

* * *

A blink. That's all it takes to bring them here, a blink of eyes. Not a lumbering process of drowsiness, not a biological phenomenon of getting knocked out. No, it's just a hybridised method in between both, a flip, connected to the supernatural that just automatically drawns their consciousness right into this place, here in this Nightly Court, without any relatable sigh or measurable signal to be studied...

"(_...and practically impossible to undo..._)" Schneizel figures this, impassive in his personal discovery.

He also had his fair share of experiments when exploring the technicalities of this mental dimension they're drawn in, trying to figure out ways to exploit it further to his favor. However, as it turns out, it didn't bear much fruit other than to proving what his fellows peers from the U.F.N had researched. In fact, just earlier from now, back in the waking world, the gallant prince went on his way to avoid getting sleep as much as he could, forcing himself in any possible way to remain awake as to test the limits of the Court's mental abduction.

Medicaments, immediate distractions, physical stresses, assisted surveillance… With these and many more methods, Schneizel managed to resist for about 5 days straight, barely managing to squeeze one more day in just before a blackout of a microsleep snatched his consciousness away so suddenly into this one mythical place.

And again, there was no warning whatsoever...

"(_Hmph… Oh well, at least I've found some manner of progress._)" He judged content, taking his place among the crowd, "(_Through this I've finally managed to settle the contract wit-… hm?_)"

But then, something disturbed him on this thoughts there...

The plans he worked through, he plots he had laid, the contracts, the actions, the very memories itself of the past waking days… It started to get fuzzy in his head, fading from a view right out of reach, as if they have been just burned away, turned into mist much like any other dream one might have.

"W-what?" This made Schneizel freeze on his spot there, holding his head as a short spike of a headache flared out, making him struggle on feet. His ever firm grip on memory was failing him, distorting his vision and balance in a shocking sunder, "(_Ugh… This is..._)"

And to makes things worse for his side, this backlash didn't quite go unnoticed. The sharp eyes of the last Holy Sword among the Japanese was quick to notice the gallant prince's broken demeanor. Chiba frowned at his sudden pained expression, already wary of the Britannian vile remarks and insults, "Oi! What you up…to?" She accursed straight, her tone assuming the worst from upfront before slowing down when realizing the man's actual pain.

"_Tch!_" Schneizel clicked his tongue, mustering all strength to recover his impassive posture as to face her straight, "Hm? What is it?" He played, faking all but the twitching eyes among the expressions.

"You..."

But at this point it was a little too late, "What's wrong, Chiba?" Todoh came along and observed the strange exchange between his subordinate/wife and the honorless cur of a Britannian prince. And as his voice called up to her loudly, the rest of the crowd all looked up of them, at Schneizel's trembling state and pondered.

"He… He looks wounded, or maybe sick." Chiba reported, wary and confused.

"Hmph, you assume wrongly of me. I'm only… angry, at something I've uncovered." States the prince explaining himself. His lie, masked in the ever printed smug on his face did wonders, "As you can imagine, this is such of a issue that I'm having a rather uncharacteristic headache dealing with it."

"Is that so..." Todoh not quite sure on what to judge, guard raised.

This created a little bout of silence, that was only broken by the cheerful interest of certain teenager...

"Huh, now that I think of it, we haven't quite tested physical wounds extensively, have we?" Kaguya inquires, drawing everyone attention, "What happens if we say… whack someone in head really hard in this dream?" Her question sounded rather silly to hear, but the message underneath her playful eyes couldn't be denied.

"(_You mean torture..._) Heh. I'm not sure of this, but I believe it won't lead us anywhere." Xingke responded, arms crossed.

"Why so?"

"Because my own physical sickness hasn't troubled me whatsoever since this dream had begun." He affirms, recalling his inert illness, "Plus, evidence from our previous experiments have proved a non-relation between our minds and our bodies through the brain. So, It is pointless to even try."

"Oh… I see." Kaguya couldn't help but to feel disappointed for a second, moments before another thought crossed her mind, springing up a rather ominous smile that chills the spine among the rest of the crowd upon seeing it.

"Isn't that good, though? At least you don't have feel any pain anymore, Xingke!" Tianzi flares, innocently unaware of the room's mood surrounding her. If anything, this little discussion actually served to provoke whispers on the subject, something that serve quite well for someone...

"(_Well, leave it to them to ignore and change the topic on fry._)" Schneizel certainly didn't bother to complain about it, "(_But of course that wouldn't fool everyone..._) Is there any problem, _sister_?" He inquired forth, readily fixing himself up just as he turned to face his sister staring at him.

"That depends, _brother_." While Chiba and the remaining Japanese/Chinese crowd distanced themselves away, Cornelia didn't miss a single word of them interacting with the former traitor, "Since when has any kind of issue has left you, the abohent genius among father's progeny, so visibly distraught?" She interrogated with tone laced in poison, "You have kept yourself quite busy fixing our country, building that public image of yours to the masses and yet I fail to see just what would remotely bother someone like you..."

"Fufu~ I'm not infallible, Cornelia. Surely you know of that." Her confrontation, while very blunt on the spot, was nothing that Schneizel hasn't dealt with before. His only mistake here was that he has drawn too much attention...

"That may be so, but I'm not in luxury to lower my guard around the likes of you." She continued, casting this condescending glare as intimidate him straight, right before leaning forth to his face, "If you even dare to betray or harm any of our allies, I'll kill you myself."

"I'll keep that in mind as I usually do..." And with that singular threat, they faced away from each other, leaving the prince to recover in silence from his now loss of memories. He now had only a faint impression of what his actions in the waking were. Truth to be said, while this was quite the inconvenience, so long his notes remained untouched, there was nothing for him to worry about. Kanon should be able to take care of everything.

Until then...

"**So comes the day...**" The Hosting Judge came forth, her form appearing before the crowd with arms open to all, painting not only the stage itself but now the whole Court itself into a scenery of a garden, a natural sunflower garden encrusted on top of a mountain, "**The day where it all began. The day when the feared time of conquer was forced upon him, when the Accursed One stumbled upon his deadliest power at hand to finally begin wrapping the world into his path of revolution...**"

The words being said there along with the change of introductions since past sessions drawn both wonder and fear from the Jury as they now recognize where they are, right back to the that same mountain that signaled the Invasion of Japan by the Holy Empire of Britannia…

it lasts for but a blink of the eyes, the world shifting to briefly paint the surroundings with the greenery, the forests, the insects and the city… all observed under the gold eye of the mysterious green witch as she watches the two children, Lelouch and Suzaku, climbing that cliff to witness their shining sun plummet under a fleet of bomber wings.

"**Indeed, this is the day that you all will witness...**"

* * *

**Stage 1 - The Day a New Demon was Born**

...And it starts with flames, the crackling flames of fallen soldiers burning in a pyre of logs that was tended and saluted by a fellow japanese comrade...

At that sunset, the face of Suzaku in his younger days is shown there, clad in his worn out casual clothes full of dirty and cuts. He sat right beside his bag on top of building debris, looking down with sorrow as the day weights on to him from all his experiences and all the destruction that surrounded him. This was a moment when he, at his youngest age, stood at his foremost darkest time, matured to a point where he could not more shed any sad tears as a child.

"I...I swear…" Adding too his shock though, a familiar voice speaks, prompting his attention to his very friend standing there, one bearing a face framed with a glare that bore true hatred in his eyes, "I swear, Suzaku. One day, I'll obliterate Britannia!" He cried out, tears threatening to fall after witnessing all the destruction around them...

Little Lelouch had made his proclamation, an oath of vengeance, for him, for himself and for the world to hear it. Both Young Suzaku and the Court's Jury could feel the youngster's conviction, wondering how heavy he would follow in his promise, lamenting how his words were fate, for so strong were they that it molded reality into blinding light, painting the very future as it led all eyes years ahead, right back at the horizon of Tokyo Settlement, at the city under the domain of Britannian leadership as it once was.

It all seemed to happen so quickly. The panels of the futurist-looking metropolis gleamed under the Jury's feet just as a helicopter zoomed over their heads, flaring it's inner comms for all to hear.

"_This is Alpha-3! Target is traveling from Delta-12 toward Delta-14 at a speed of 80 kph!_"

"_Understood, CCP to all mobile units. Declaring a Code 3 from floors 3 to 5, move in to capture target!_"

All of a sudden the scene that followed was of chase. The compact helicopter that has the royal markings of the britannian state police pursued and reported the movements of a single vehicle, a truck, speeding over a highway road. Whatever situation this seemed to translate to, none among the watching crowd had the means to recognize or remember it outright, speciality now while they remain so disoriented on spot without a ground to put their feet on.

So involving was this particular session that no longer there was a stage to the show the truth as how it was in past sessions. Rather, they were all pulled right into the action itself, bringing their bodily presence on the past reality as shimmering ghosts in flowing amidst the scenery.

Before they knew it, they were all brought into some enclosed room among the city's buildings, a luxurious bar given the looks of it, filled with several men in suits surrounding two players in a table of chess. Quite, once seen in past session, this sight was familiar to the Jury but this time the players were different, a relaxed gentleman of noble stature going against a cowering peasant elder. They faced each other in this common mind game, vaguely listening to the news that is now being reported in the television...

"-_here's the video footage of yesterday's terrorist bombings in Osaka. The local secretary reported 59 casualties in this incident: 8 Britannians, and 51 others in a-_"

However soon enough, the clock alarm of the turn timer flared loudly, signaling someone's dismay. The TV screen was shutdown and one among the clearly recognizable bodyguards held the control in his hands.

"You're out of time. From here on you'll have to make your moves in every 20 seconds from now on." Affirmed the man in the suit to the players.

"Very well, I can handle that." The relaxed gentleman seemed unfazed by this, even taking his time polishing his nails with smug face at the increasing nervousness of the elder in butler clothing. Truly, the game standing before both was looking rather one sided from the noble's side, with the latter shaking under his boots as to what he could possibly do to save himself from this mess.

But lo and behold that was when, just in the nick of time, the front doors came into open, giving room for two more souls to come inside the room much to the curiosity of the gentleman and the relief of the butler.

"Hm? Did your substitute finally arrive?"

"Oh thank goodness you're arrived!" The introduction was brief in the elder's sudden rise. The old man was so eager to get up from his couch that he almost stumbled in his words, laughing and caring for two newcomers to take his place.

"Hm, what have we here, schoolboys?" Addressed the smug gentleman to what he saw, two teenagers who indeed look to be students, clear by the style of their black clothing. None can judge him for being a little surprised at this sight, if not disappointed.

"Hmph. Well look at this, a nobleman..." Yet rebuking in the same tone, the visage of Lelouch strode confidently at the table, with a blue haired Rivalz leaning right from behind.

"Ah~ I envy you kids today. You have so much time on your hands, so much time for regrets…" The noble stated in a mix of mockery and taunt. He truly did not sound impressed, "Oh well, and you are?"

"Lelouch Lamperouge." Yet, faced with the chaffle, the hidden prince just proudly declares his name loudly and blandly, as if to engrain it on the nobleman's brain with his inexpressive face as he usually does. And considering the below average game laying over the table, it won't take a while for that to happen.

"Wow... Can you even win this one?" Question his blue friend, making such great job in alarming things in prepup.

"Rivalz, when do we must leave in order to make our next class?"

"Ah… 20 minutes if we speed up."

"Hn, then be sure to drive us safely on the way back. This will be over in 9 minutes." Making his quick judgements, Lelouch then takes his seat on the couch and assess his domain.

The noble, seeing this over endearing confidence from what can only be just an young man, a mere teenager at best, it quickly left him annoyed, "9 minutes? You only have 20 seconds per move." He warned the kid, impatiently kicking the butt of his nail tool into the table in intimidation.

Lelouch however, still not showing any outwardly reaction, just picked his black king piece between his hand and judged, "It is enough."

"Hm? The king?" Blinking, the gentleman saw the expressed ploy there, reflected for a second and then quickly fell into laughter as the student graced him with a smile. This boy might have just handing him the victory, something that was undeniably amusing for the both of them.

* * *

Too bad that the same couldn't be said for the bystanding Jury, for just now they got hand of the reality around them, ceasing the motion of the session at their will. Indeed, they were not at all so mirthful to enjoy the actual history when it was shown this abruptly. The change of view was too brunt and too sudden to follow…

"Damn… That was loopy." Gino first complained. "Didn't expect to be thrown into a spin in here."

"You tell me about it." Rivalz agreed, nauseated. Glancing around, both of them along with the crowd went on to see and experiment with what can only be described as some form of virtual/artificial/lucid reality around them. Their surroundings were indeed replaced, the stage itself it's former ruins were practically gone, replaced by this fullblow illusion that is now replicating the memory of the past as a form of environment, "It is a nice view though, very real…" Affirmed the blue player himself, stepping up to the table, "So that's when all the bad stuff began? Since way back then?"

"Since back _when_, Rivalz? Are you talking about now or when Lulu was kid?" Milly confronted him, both confused and intrigued to what she sees. Truly, the upcoming session was leaving her excited.

"Stage 1." Nina spoke, answering in his place, "She said there… This is day. The introduction says everything."

And gulping together, they look around and stare at others reactions, trying to gleam on more clues, something the japanese were quite eager to give as they stared at the TV screen and reminisced.

"The bombings in Osaka…" Kallen first spoke, standing beside her old companions among the Shinjuku Freedom Fighters, "Ohgi, this is-"

"Yeah… Our assault at that britannian secret facility." Completed the now Prime Minister, frowning at the past memory, "And to think following Naoto's vision would have led to all of this."

They recalled the scene, the actions there, as well as the sacrifice wrought by Kallen's brother to lead them there, at this one hidden place that forged their future. Quite, one can only wonder how this one event settled them down to where today's judgement came to be...

"Hold on, what was that about again?" Tamaki inquired, only to face every condemning stare from his friends, "W-what!? I don't remember straightly!"

Sugiyama and Yoshitaka were quickly straightforward to knock his head, "_Seriously Tamaki..._" , "_You're an idiot._"

But the question was already asked, and many others were left wondering, with Cornelia being the foremost curious on the context, "Hmph! The Day a New Demon was Born… It's only obvious it is related to this, among other things..." She commented, gesturing to the gambling environment shortly before facing Ohgi, "Do explain yourself."

Facing the pressure, the Prime Minister had to oblige, even taking a breath beforehand, "...Back when we were but a small resistance group, we managed to uncover the location of some military facility after our usual supply raidings. Our first leader, Kouzuki Naoto, discovered that you Britannians were building chemical weapons in Osaka for the use in the war and considered doing something about it. Unfortunately, all the work he put pursuing that secret knowledge eventually cost his life… at the hands of Clovis's own royal guard."

And with a moment of silence followed by aspiration, Ohgi continued, "Our group were left quite lost after this, but we couldn't let Naoto's life go in vain. We spent half a year lurking around that building to break in and steal something of worth. This was quite the state secret, so we figured out that if we managed to make this go public somehow, we would have striked a wound in the Viceroy's popularity. This was meant to be our victory, as well as the vengeance to our fallen comrades… So, after long planning, we actually did it."

Then, with one final glance at the TV screen, this filled in what everyone speculated.

"That's how you met Zero next, right?" Kaguya spoke, half affirming, half inquiring, leading all eyes to face the silent masked vigilante among them, who in turn didn't whisper a word.

"More like, he met us actually..." Ohgi answered, nodding.

Whispers followed forth, with more questions shrouding minds as they all wished to know how. And as a result, the illusion moved forward, seeking to fulfill the curiosity of its audience as it was intended...

* * *

Thus, they are once more brought into the view of the truck, the very same one speeding out in haste to flee it's pursuers. And inside of it, two individuals clothed in green-grayish laboratory overcoats drive the vehicle onwards with frowns branding their faces.

"Damn it! We finally manage steal this thing and that damn Tamaki can't even follow Naoto's plan!" Yells the first, cursing as looks out the see the chasing helicopter. His partner however, who bears a fairly feminine visage, remains silent.

Yet before the Jury could discern their obvious identities, the attention returns back to Lelouch's game, with the passage of time so distorted that it only revealed the nobleman's nail brush echoing in the ground, his eye twitching face gasping at the prospect of overwhelming defeat.

"Oh I love playing against the nobility! They always pay out of pride!" Rivalz boasted with a grim, smiling as he and Lelouch made their way out, "Also, you made a new record of 8 minutes and 32 seconds!"

Nonchalant to it though, the prince appear to only take the victory for granted, "My opponent didn't have much time. He's nobleman after all, soft, fat and tepid just like the rest. They're nothing but privileged parasites."

"Well, in that case, why don't you challenge one of the Elevens? They're nothing like us Britannians." Proposed Rivalz next, imagining wonders only to flail at the disturbance growing outside among the city's crowd...

From what both of them could see, a giant television screen embedded across the street flared the breaking news, casting horror among the local britannians due to the terror caused by the Elevens. And right before one of them could comment on it, the royal insignia of crown flash out in a interruption, with the report's voice ready to assert a change.

"_We apologize for the delay. Now His Royal Highness Prince Clovis, third prince of Britannia, will address the nation._"

Lelouch had but a moment to scowl before the face of his so 'beloved' brother appeared out as a glamorous being, radiant in form and elegance in front of his country flag. Clovis presented himself as someone of vigorous stature, with a pristine white cape hanging over his royal purple attire. His face branded seriousness at the incident ongoing at hand, vaguely resembling some form of imperial discipline known to a leader bound to address his people.

"_Fellow citizens of Britannia,_ _including of course the many Elevens who choose to serve our glorious empire... Hear me!_ _Do you not see my pain? My heart is torn in two from this torment! Part of me is sad while the other is filled with rage! However, as ruler of Area 11, I will not tolerate terrorism of any kind, for this battle is one for justice, a virtuous battle to protect the well-being of one and all! Now, my subjects, let us offer a prayer for those who have fallen in line of duty._"

His voice was cast for the world to hear, glorious to the patriots and disgusting to the oppressed. His gestures were full of emotion and life at sight, thoughtful in tone and significant in valor. It truly carried out the wish to those that actually believed it.

"_A moment of silence please..._"

Alas, unknown to him, not everyone shared the same the sentiment to the prince...

"Well, aren't you gonna join in?"

"Aren't you?"

Rivalz, amidst the mourning crowd, went on to turn up his motorbike instead of playing along. In meantime, he figured his partner would join the rest in the chant but that doesn't seem to be the case, "Heh… It's sort of embarrassing."

Rather, much like him, Lelouch too was keen to leave the area in a haste, but for his own hidden reason, "That's true. Besides, our tears won't bring the dead back to life." Affirmed the prince, printing the parking receipt.

"Dang... That's dark, buddy."

"That's how it is, It's all about self satisfaction…" And looking back at the crowd, at the face of his acting brother, Lelouch just seemed to accept the fact for what it is, "No matter how much we try it, the world won't change..."

But Indeed, there was truth in his words even though none but the Jury could see it. Beyond the television screen that was shown to the public, taken up right into the Viceroy's own palace, the very living form of Clovis is revealed stepping out from the cameras, with his aids removing his cape in comfort just as he returns to address the giant galla crowd standing before him...

"You were magnificent, Your Highness! One would never guess that you were attending a party while doing that." One noble lady commented in praise of the royal's act.

"I wouldn't be fit to rule over Area 11 if I weren't able to change me demeanor in a instant." Expressed the third prince so jovial and confident, "It is my duty after all. Since the media wants a charismatic prince, I give them one."

His words were such that it raised nervous mirth among his company, who merely gave him platitudes, smiling and waiving in favor of his rule… Which shows how much of a mask those among royalty bear, a pathetic sham built on self preservation to perverse a stale reign of decadence...

"(_How quaint..._)" And leaning on that thought, a tall blonde man in ponytail kept himself discreet against the wall around the corner, merely observing the prince whilst reading a written document on the newest crisis in Osaka. He adorned a dark blue suit that complemented his carmine turtleneck, creating a clear image of a businessman, sharp and focused to bring the acts straight to the point.

The appearance of this one individual drawn quite the attention to those who once knew him close...

* * *

"Diethard!" Ohgi shouted as many among the Black Knights gasped along, recognizing their former comrade from the war. Indeed, now that they could see him clearly in the frozen illusion, the once-Head of Information Division stood revealed, right from his humble beginnings as a mere member of the press in service of Britannia in a time long forgotten.

"Well, if it isn't this sneaky fucker." Tamaki mocked, leaning to the man's face in a contemptuous inspection, "Looking all bossy and shit… So, what happened to him again?" He inquired next, his question echoing back to the crowd, with those involved trying to remember the man's deeds...

"As I recall, he sought retirement from the Black Knights after the outcome of Zero's… Betrayal." Todoh answers, eyes closing at the sting such mention seemed to bring from a certain redhead, "He must have lost his resolve in our cause after being left manipulated at Lelouch's hand and wanted to be out of the fight. After this, he never was seen again."

"Huh…That is strange though." Kaguya sprout, looking vacantly thoughtful from hearing that little bit, "Distraught or not, he did consider himself to be one Zero's most loyal servants. If that's the case, he should have been invited to learn the truth like the rest of us, right?"

"Not unless he perished beforehand..." Xingke followed ahead, timely addressing his subordinates, "Was there any record of his presence in the battle of Mt. Fuji?"

Xiaglin and Chiba then looked upon one another and both expressed only uncertainty, "No, sir… None that I remember." Answers the former.

"We would have to check it on the logs-"

"No need." Yet, before the latter would finish her suggestion, a regal voice interrupted, "No need. He was there, both at the Damocles and way before that..." Cornelia, having figured out what this stride was about, stepped forth, glancing at the visage Diethard in memory, "This man approached my brother Schneizel some time after our meeting over Tokyo's ruins. It seems he was more keen to defect you and join our side in secret after the deed. Although, either was it for vengeance or otherwise I wouldn't know."

Whispers murmured silently across Clovis's ignored illosury hall, reflecting the growing curiosity that is now affecting the Jury, specially from those in-the-know of the incidents…

"So the Brit defected us! Hmph! Why that doesn't sound so surprising?" Tamaki boasted, arms wide in disregard to the sour mood now spreading around him. None could spell a word in response for many shared the same feeling...

"What then? What happened? Did he die?" Ohgi questioned the Britannian Regent, if only to break the discomfort surrounding him.

"..." But Cornelia, recalling what became of her, didn't know the answer on spot, nor did she wished to reveal her fate at hands of her brother after their _discussion_. Instead, she led the Prime Minister's eyes with glance directly to Schneizel, who in response just sighed, miffed at having to address both of them with such trivialities.

"Please, you already know the answer. Let's not bother with the obvious and focus on what lays here, if you will..." He retorted with annoyance in his tone.

That quickly served to end the chatter there, leaving the wanting questions down in shallow speculations at the glance of the fallen mediaman frozen before them. It would take a few seconds of conformity before such wonders were put to rest, allowing everyone attention to be drawn back to the past at hand...

* * *

Swiftly, the motion moved on, with Diethard's eyes being swiftly drawn to an intruding bulk of a man now marching harshly as to meet with the third prince...

"_A soldier?_" The blonde pondered, curious.

"Y-your highness!" Stepping out of hand, this capped individual seemed to flinch nervously at Clovis's annoyed reprimand. He was a soldier outright, possibly of high rank, dressed so opulently as to denote respect and intimidation, "_I beg your pardon, Your Highness, but…_"

Considering the few things that could possibly disturb a high standing Britannian prince in his party, specially one was bland as this one, Diethard didn't expect much. In fact, he felt bored, "Another trifling issue? Urgh, I wish they'd just-"

"**You fool!**"

However, in a rather uncharacteristic shout from the Prince, something even more worrying seemed to be going on. The soldier provoked a nasty reaction, sweating bullets as he bent himself in to whisper on the prince's ear amidst the entire eyeing party...

"_...The police were informed that it's medical equipment, that's all. If we mobilize the army then-_"

"Deploy the Royal Guard! The Knightmares as well!"

Truly, such alarm, coming from the mouth of Clovis himself, left no margin of error to be allowed. Whatever it is that ticked him off, it was strong enough to make the whole palace to shake in flares, warping the session's illusion into forward haste, warnings and flashes spreading everywhere in sight. Indeed, this was serious.

"**Alert 1! Alert 1! 4th, 7th, and 8th rapid reaction companies, as well as the 31st air assault team, scramble immediately! Special Division 9, stand by for deployment!**"

The jury had but seconds to glance at the now revealed inner barracks where soldiers, planes and knightmare frames are about to mobilise into action. And to in the surprise of some, the glimpse of two unique individuals gaped eyes as they settle down in their cockpit and turn on their purple clad knightmare frames...

From there, the scene of the highway was swiftly returned into sight, right upon views of Rivalz and Lelouch as they drive off leasirily together, blissfully unaware of what was approaching them.

"Say, that first move you made… Why'd you start with the king?" The blue gambler leisurely asks.

Now that he could think on the road, time clearly went on to bring in the two from that day Lelouch rescued him. Since then, they both had been going into many other games and although he lost his doubts about Lelouch's playing skills, this one prominent move with the king has always left Rivalz puzzled… If not just to flaunt or even taunt his opponents, why take this one risk every single time?

"If the king doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?" Lelouch ominously answered, barely taking his eyes from his book.

"What's with that?"

"With what?"

"Do you fantasize about running a major corporation?" Rivalz insisted, trying to grasp how his weird but awesome friend is like. Given his permanent cold prince persona in and out if school, Lelouch always seemed to this impression of hiding something.

"No way. Ambitions like that will ruin your health-"

Whatever that is about though, Rivalz didn't have the time to question it, specially when a loud horn of a speeding truck neared upon them, making his blood run cold, "W-what the hell!?" Startled, he quickly sped up, desperately trying to get out of the way as to avoid a collusion.

"_You idiot! Watch where you're going!_"

However, it was all for naught though. The truck was going too fast. The weight and momentum alone would certify a crash if left alone so the driver had no choice but turn the wheel in the only way he could, by turning into the one blocked road that was still midway under construction...

"_No! That's a-_"

As one would expect, a tight corner on such heavy vehicle easily caused the driver to lose control, causing the truck to storm right through both cones and fences before hurling itself into a wall, leaving a large cloud of sand and dirt in a nasty impact. Indeed, this scene was quite the wreckage to see.

And accordingly nervous, Rivalz stares at the accident with worry, "Uh… Was that our fault?"

"I don't think so..." Lelouch disagreed, even though all the damage looks worrying.

Clearly, the crash itself was so flashy that even the police caught wind of it, already having an helicopter overseeing the area at distance, "_Control, the target has crashed at the abandoned V.O. building construction site._" Of course, the two students knew nothing of what they were about to be involved with, so they didn't bother to leave...

"_Understood. Pull back now, the military will take over from here. General Bartley's command._" That said, gasps followed soon on the radio comms and only the Jury could witness the growing escalation of the situation, the illusion doing all the work to set and connect the pieces among those involved. In fact, now being fully identified, that very soldier Diethard had saw earlier was framed into view, with his worries weighing down even further on the shoulders.

"(_We recover it at any cost!_)" Thought the General, desperate, "(_That thing… If it escapes..._)"

One doesn't need to finish the sentence to guess the outcome...

* * *

However, no matter how interesting it was to lay low and just keep watching the session move forward, some couldn't just resist reacting subtle enough to not freeze the illusion on what they saw. There were too many tibbits there (important ones of course) that it ticked some among them.

"Wha- That was YOU!?" Kallen shouts out loud, fully re-living back that moment on the truck. She bellowed over the her blue haired friend, frown and distress warping her face.

Rivalz recoiled on spot, "Ah- Erm… Y-yeah, I think so..." He reacted awkwardly, which only served to infuriate the redhead, "S-sorry, but what I could do!? You were the one speeding over us!"

"Good god Rivalz! Because of this, Nagata, the army, the whole guetto… That one crash almost ruined everything!" And watching their friend talk in such wrath, it didn't take alot to figure what she meant. The dates of the event's were clear now.

"Hmm, ouch... I feel for you Kallen, I really do. It's kinda sad how bad things turned out to be back then." Milly confronted, trying to disarm the brooding yet tense mood, "Buuut, at least we can appreciate your partner's attitude on the wheels. He chose to crash over an construction site rather than collide with not-so-innocents souls like this goofball here and Lulu~" She affirms, grabbing a hold of Rivalz's shoulder in a lock, "If anything, what he did was rather honorable as a person, even though we're just Britannians..."

"That's...That's not the point..." Kallen stared at the two of them, so unsure on how to react to Milly's uncalled optimism that she just settled for silence, shaking her head down with scowl. In a way, she had to accept the futility of it all. Deep down that was no point on blaming him in this matter. This fight, this mistake… It brought an frustration that she didn't know how to deal with, specially with no one to blame.

Such thought, though mature and slightly unhealthy, was not shared with the rest of the old Freedom Fighters, specially the hotheaded one heading her way…

"Oi!" Tamaki, having seen what happened in the session and heard what Kallen had yelled about, he felt compelled to step up and confront the youngsters for the first time. He looked upon the blue haired brit and just let his anger vent out in torrent upon the poor kit, "So it's you who've done it with Nagata eh!?" He accused, going as far as lift Rivalz off from the collars.

"Wow buddy, no need for that." Gino tried to intervene but...

"Fuck off!" He was pushed back by a swinging arm, almost being hit by friend's very own body. The japanese man was quite mad.

Seeing this mess, Ohgi and the others snapped out of stupor and reacted, "Tamaki, don't-"

"Shut up! I'm not going to let this slide, not when I know who threw their wench in all of this mess!" Shouted the angry redhead, about to beat a frightened Rivalz to a punch, "You little fucker, you just had to be there, right!? You and that bloody demon murderer!"

"W-what!? I don'- Agh!"

"You killed him! Do you hear me, you killed Nagata! It was all going so well, with a few mistakes here and there, but still, you-"

"Tamaki, stop!" Neither Kallen or the other adults reacted swiftly enough to prevent this from getting physical. Of course, they ran up to him, intending to stop this while they could, but only one managed to grasp the winding punch by the wrist just in time before smashed poor Rivalz's face.

"**Enough.**"

Under the guise of Zero, Suzaku had instantly vacated himself from his position behind Nunnally's back to reach his friend's side, carrying enough strength to wrestle Tamaki to a halt, not only freeing the gasping gambler but also immobilizing his offender down to his knees.

"Argh!" It all happened so quick that everyone could only blink when it occurred, "Z-Zero..." And grunting in pain, Tamaki could barely look up to his black mask from where he stood.

"**Tamaki... You really should started reflecting on your own mistakes for once.**" Suzaku commented with a condescending tone, "**I won't blame you for feeling angry for what happened, but don't go thinking I'll allow you to mellow in sorrow and shift your blame unto others regardless of any reason.** **I won't repeat myself on this. Let the past lie down where it belongs: In the past. Let it be nothing but a lesson for the future. If you cannot do that, then I'm afraid I'll have to punish you myself unto you do...**"

Tamaki had to listen to this lecture, with the masked vigilante whispering on his ear before he was finally released from the crushing grip. This left him wincing as he picked himself up to hold the dislocated shoulder. Quite, Zero was a lot stronger than it appeared… There was no use trying to salvage whatever pride he had even if he wanted. That much was clear to him…

The japanese man glanced over the Zero's reflecting mask with ire and then at the disapproving glances of his "companions" before surrendering down, "Tch! Fine, whatever!" Turning over to leave on his own, "_Fucking ass prick..._" He cursed in whispers, giving attention to none.

After this, tensions disappeared, leaving nothing but the odd murmurings...

Though illogical of an act from his part, it seems even Tamaki felt some manner of _guilt _souring his mood given what his actions or mistakes resulted into back in the bloody revolution… Why did he do this? Was it because of Nagata's suspected death over an accident? Was it for his fumbles in plan that he looked for someone else to blame? Or is it the anxiety of not knowing what to trust given all the insanity of the dream and truth show to him?

Whatever it is the real question (or answer) here, the Jury didn't feel willing to judge him directly for it. Zero's words and posture assured them of what might happen if they did. And while both Rivalz and Kallen continued to look down in a mix of shame and apprehension now, the rest just wished for the illusion to proceed, and for the session to continue unveiling.

At this point they just want to know what it will reveal at all.

_**To be Continued…**_

Author Notes: Okay I got to confess a rant on this. Doing this chapter overwhelmed me… I mean holy fuck, now that I watch bits and pieces of the actual episode itself I started to notice the show's horrible choice of pace as it reveals the scenes and places dialogues. There's so much shit going on at same time that everything starts stops making sense when you wrap it up on paper.

In fact, if you guys notice it, I purposely removed Shirley's initial appearance, alongside the short with Milly at the school because I couldn't figure heads or tails on just what to do with the scene! After all, does it means!? It's not an introduction, not an event connected to past scenes… no, it's basically a cameo of sorts along with a offhand comment on Lelouch and the way the characters view him.

And the dialogue… god I don't know if it's me, if it's a limitation on trying to translate a media to another (Episode to Novel), or a problem with this part of the episode itself because I just couldn't find a use for or create a proper pace past this. Take Rivalz chat on the road for example. That question of the king piece comes god awfully out of nowhere and Lelouch responds in such a way that hell, I will not lie, it took me weeks to just cross the scene entirely. You guys are only receiving so fast in updates because this was a year ago (with me writing now being a revision, a gamma reading and a painful PTSD).

So yeah, in my honest opinion as the author of the fic, this is my worst chapter so far. I just can't stand it. If it wasn't for a friend suggesting that just fix what I could and release it with this note, I wouldn't get over it. Hell, I STILL didn't get over it, because there's nothing on it, nothing at all. And the fucking writer block this wrought prevented me of thinking something more… presentable.

Let this be a warning then, if you notice certain things missing or standing out of order when reading the next chapters, know that it's me trying create a written pace for my "Pseudo-Novelization". If anything, don't judge this too harshly. Or at least, not without good reason. The best stays for last, so I plead patience while I try to write what's really awesome. You guys got two more chapters before catching up so brace yourselves...


	14. Stage 1 - The Day a Demon was Born Pt2

**Stage 01 - The Day a New Demon was Born (Part 2)**

Immediately then, by their will, the Jury is brought back to Lelouch's presence as they all pay heed to the crash scene once more, with something quite strange being shown right off the bat: A green sparkling light sprouting out from the truck's cargo rising and retracting like a cloud.

"What the…?" Mystified, the hidden prince himself felt drawn to the view...

"Ah great! Looks like the power line on the bike got cut in turn." He heard Rivalz complain.

"Right..." Lelouch however didn't bother much with it as the accident unfolded with growing attention. Indeed, the rest of the city's crowd seem finally took notice of the mess, grouping together over rails to watch and witness the mess. Then, like bystanders uncaring of disaster, they didn't even bother to show some empathy to try find any survivors or at least call for help outright, something that unnerved the hidden prince as he saw it, "(_Tch, idiots, all of them..._)" He judged with contempt.

Not willing to be the same, Lelouch just pulled himself into action, leaving his helmet and friend behind to go around the road.

"Uh, Lelouch!?"

Such act was seen and mocked by the crowds, heeling their amusement on the "student hero" that had come to the rescue, not that prince actually cared for such bland opinions. He just wanted to do the right thing, even though circumstances wouldn't allow it... In fact, unfortunately for him, the crash site was so deep and messy that the truck's cabin was lodged through several steel beams that collapsed on top of it. Accessing it was impossible, unless… Lelouch looked around and noticed a embedded chair, one that he could climb from side of the cargo, leading him to hatch gap in the top.

"Hey, can you hear me!?" He called up, glancing in the darkness below, "Hey!-"

"[_**It's you… Finally I have found my…**_]" Yet, in a bizarre and strange echo that almost seemed to pulse into his mind, someone responded.

"...!" It certainly confused the prince for a second but someone nonetheless needed aid, "(_Where though...?_)" His search, though short, would be abruptly disturbed however, for the vehicle, unknown to him, began to roar in action, suddenly backing up in a rush that it caught him in a surprise, "Wha-!" This throws Lelouch inside in the momentum, almost crashing his head down on the cargo's floor by the force. His only luck is that the tackle allowed him to roll his way to safety, which was a small blessing, "W-wait, I'm in here!" He cried out, hoping for the drivers to hear him...

Meanwhile, the one blue gambler who might be quite responsible for this mess carried himself down on the road, subtly dragging his dead motorbike away from the scene as to avoid being involved as much as possible.

"That guy… I know it's the right thing to do, but I wish he would quit flaunting his pride and just give it a rest for a while. We're gonna be late to school..." He frets miserably to no one in particular. Honestly, he was more like looking for an excuse than anything else...

That said, looking down for Lelouch, Rivalz could only blink a sweat at what was happening. The dust had then settled down and his friend was nowhere in sight. All he could see was the truck pulling off from the wall and moving down on a tunnel amidst the construction site… with no victims, injured or otherwise, found in vicinity.

"Huh, is that what they call a hit and run…?" He commented aloof, blinking in wonder.

Clearly, the truck and it's drivers were certainly in a rush for some reason. This made Lelouch, who was trapped inside, quickly realize that he had get out of there as something really irked him off about all of this…

"Damn. Why don't they have ladder in here!?" He first complained, checking the walls.

And to complicate things further, his suspicions were indeed confirmed to be accurate, "**Stop the vehicle!**" As in the next second, a shout of the police warning call echoed from outside, with the sound of helicopters putting the hidden prince into alarm, "**We have you surrounded and on aim! Stop where you are immediately!**" They demanded outright, even delivering a burst of gunfire to tear the street, "**Give up now or we'll shoot to kill!**"

Things were getting out of control and two drivers, having long recovered from the crash on their own, now had to take the brunt of the danger, "Shit, the army's here! What we're going to do now!?" Shouted the first, growing nervous.

"Have you forgotten? That's what I'm here for!" Yet, unlike himself, his partner didn't even falter. Rather, Nagata could only shiver as the girl took her cap off and moved on to take action decisely.

Little did they know that Lelouch was on their cargo worryingly judging the situation now pushed in this shoulders, "(_This doesn't look good, It's dangerous to move outside as it is… My only chance is to call-_)...!" However, he had but a few moments to consider his options when a sound startled him down. Hiding quickly, he peeked over a corner just as the door shutter from the truck's cabin opened, giving passage for someone to pass...

"..._You can get into the subway if you go through to the ghetto_."

It was a young woman, redhead, short on height but close to his own age from appearance. She walked past his spot, taking off and leaving her overcoat on the ground to climb on some cargo compartment nearby all while answering someone over what could be only radio chatter.

"_Kallen, why don't we use it here?_"

"Because that would cause a massacre!" She shouted out loud.

Yeah, this girl was definitely involved in something quite underhanded to scream the word "massacre" so desperately… But ignoring that though, there was something peculiar about her that Lelouch couldn't figure, "(_This woman…_)" She actually seemed familiar somehow, which is strange considering how dedicated his long memory is when it comes to strangers. His paranoid senses tingled, as if warning him of something he should know...

What that is though he didn't have the time to ponder on right now. The situation at hand took all precedence for his survival. He needed more details before he could act and none but the Jury could witness this with complete context, watching and listening as the army pursued the running truck with guns blazing outside.

"_Target is heading south, towards the ghetto._"

"_Copy that! Corner 'em!_"

And just when one thought they had a clear line of fire on a defenseless target, the cargo doors of the truck opened up a small gap on it's rear... only for a massive wire-guided dart to suddenly burst out, striking and exploding a whole chopper right across the window!

"Wha- A Slash Harken!?" The nearby pilot shouted in gasp, shocked to see their revealed enemy, a giant red automaton, standing with its echoing factsphere sensor glaring right in front of them, "A knightmare!"

Indeed, with a proven display of intimidation, the now recognized red glasgow jumps on the street and aligns it's land spinners to match the truck's speed, having it's full body shielding the vehicle of gunfire.

What about to happen next would be certainly deadly.

"Crap! These guys are real terrorists!" Lelouch can only feel lucky that pilot didn't even notice him amidst it's feet back there for even he knows how outmatched the army is right now…

"**You brits know full well what this thing can do!**" The girl flared over the hailer, dodging the panicked steam of automatic fire before jumping and slashing out a harken at their direction. Her aim was so spot on that it quickly reaped another tow among the flying units, destroying them one by one in lines that just reduced them to scrap, all in few seconds of engagement...

"**The rest of you, back off. I'll take care of this...**"

"!?" Her little victory however was cut short, for as it turns out, the helicopters weren't the only ones pursuing the truck in this chase. Rather, right from the smoke of the enemy's remains, a transport wing emerged into sight, carrying what appears to be another knightmare on its rear, purple in armor and visibly armed.

"**I don't know where you have dug that relic from but an old Glasglow is no match for a Sutherland!**" Dropping down, Kallen reacted quickly to destroy it, only to have an equal slash harken intercepting her own, "**...Nor can a filthy eleven who spurns the compassion of our glorious Emperor!**" Thus, standing in clear defiance to her, the Imperial struck forth in a taunt of mockery and challenge, firing it's hand-held cannon square over the red glasgow's left arm...

"Gah!" The young ace reeled in the impact, her frame being almost knocked out of balance from the shockwave.

"Kallen, we should split up!" Sensing the trouble amounting from the side mirror, Nagata expected the worse, "Both of us can't risk being killed! Get away from here!"

"_But!_" Just as he tried to expel her friend out, a second Sutherland rolled up over the highway where they were heading, taking a perfect position for a lining shot…

"Shit!" This forced him to turn the truck aside to survive, doing nothing to stop the overwhelming hail of machine gunfire from shredding the driver seat. As result, the front windows shattered, and massive calibers dug through Nagata's right arm almost bursting the skin off from the glance alone. The truly gritted his teeth but he did yet live, narrowly avoiding what could have been a instant death. In fact, though slightly relieved to have succeeded, Nagata could still imagine the smug face of that damn Britannian as he tried to flee...

"_Simplemidded Eleven._"

Meanwhile, trying to fight an fully equipped enemy completely disarmed, Kallen turned frantic when her slash harkens failed to turn and aim in this tense moment, "What!? Why now!?" She tried to push the firing lever but it felt stuck, jamming down in the spot along with her only available weapon.

"**What a shoddy scrap!**" This allowed her enemy to quickly capitalize on the disadvantage, charging forward with a primed tonfa all over her being.

"!?" Kallen didn't think twice then. She just quickly ejected the entire broken arm right off the enemy's face, deflecting the blow in the last second and creating a room so she could escape.

Such act of quick reflex put the Imperial in quite the smoke... it even left him impressed, even though the enemy got away, "Oh ho? Not bad." He first praised, "However..." While she might have fled him, the man still smiled to himself, confident that there was practically no hope of survival for the likes of these terrorists...

And on that line of thought, Lelouch held the same opinion, frowning at himself for getting involved in this mess for just being broodingly altruistic. He glanced at his cell phone, hoping to make a call but quickly cursed in the unwanted failure, "(_Tch, no connection…_)" Thus, met with a dead end, the prince sat down on a corner and forced himself to embrace an state of serene calm, working the gears of his mind as to process yet another strategy, "(..._Judging from the darkness and the road surface, we must be driving along the old subway lines. They must heading for an exit somewhere in the ghetto, which cuts off any safe location for me to get out of this..._)" He first thought.

Indeed, given how the map on his phone gave him an indication of what to expect, Lelouch already had something on his hands for leverage, "I see it then. The situation is rather clear." He considered, picking up the remains of the overcoat left behind by that red girl, "I don't know where the army is but I might not have any choice. If I give them this terrorist communicator, then..." He could get out of here intact.

Or least Lelouch hopes so...

"Ah, that's right… Rivalz..." All-in-all though, the Prince had almost forgotten his friend in the rush. He had left him behind, which is bad in a sense but there was nothing to be done now. Lelouch could only hope he had got out of the way of a possible interrogation from the crash they had caused. This incident is already a hassle to handle and the prince doesn't quite want to deal with the police or the military any longer than necessary.

To his luck though, while he had not clue of it, the blue gambler had long abandoned the crime scene, even swearing out loud amidst the setting sun while pitifully pushing his motorbike over the highway.

"_Damn him for leaving me behind like that!"_ Yes, It couldn't be denied that Rivalz was truly tempted to pin this on Lelouch if he ever got the chance to confess. The bastard owes him for this...

* * *

"Urg… My communicator..." Kallen facepalmed. Now she understood how things had fit that day. In her mind, she thought Lelouch got Nagata's own since he never returned alive. What a stupid mistake.

"Hm. Say Kallen, was that your first time in a knightmare?" Gino inquired of her, admiring the way she fought a superior enemy with inferior equipment and practically no weapons. That was a harsh challenge to deal with.

"More or less, yes." The young Ace affirms, "I had run only simulations since then and I scored the highest performance rank from our group."

"Right. I can see that." Nodded the former knight. Now, he really wants to spar with her.

"Such talented girl… I'm glad Zero had the vision to see your skills. You have proven to be quite the boon." Rakshata praised, wearing a rare smile.

"A boon in the wrong side, I'm quite sure." Lloyd added in, his eyes hungrily planted on the young Ace, "Obviously you could do better... with the right equipment~ Would you be interested to test what I have?" He requests, drawing all manner of suspicious, if not murderous, stares given his choice of words.

Safe to say, Kallen was a little creeped by that, "Uh… No."

"Aw…"

Alas, interests aside, the valiant skill of what was shown in the stage there only brought sweat in the face of a certain orange knight far off an a silent corner... Indeed, he had heard the students chat there, and considering the circumstances, Jeremiah just learned he had a close call...

"(_It is a good thing you were there though, young Ace._)" He reflected, hands curled into a tight fist, "(_To think His Majesty was present in that very truck..._)" He could only imagine the following disaster had he succeeded on his task. The horror of it... Him, discovering the prince's body among the debris, slain by his own hands. Or worse, the destruction of the truck being so through as to leave a single trace of his remains...

In one way or another, Jeremiah just couldn't bear the shame. It was undeniable here that he had almost killed his very master unknowingly.

"Hmph! And we are simple minded huh?" A mock echoes, coming from none but the resident freedom fighter far off who was still sour from his admonishment from Zero.

"_Tamaki, please..._" ,"_You've done enough man, come on!_"

His nearby buddies, Sugiyama and Yoshitaka, tried to save his ass from more troubles but his foul mouth had already done the damage. Villeta recoiled from Ohgi's arms, looking down in guilt for what almost occurred.

"It wasn't your fault. You were just doing your job..." Comforted the Prime Minister.

"I know, but still..." The former soldier had a tough time accepting it. Looking back to one's incessant pride and abhorrent behavior is no easy thing, specially with the bloodshed that she indulged into.

Fortunately for her however, a unexpected distraction drawns hers and the whole Jury's attention in next second, namely, the frozen session from where they stood suddenly began to essentially reverse in motion, warping the events back to when Lelouch had spotted that green mist pouring out of the truck's cargo...

And the reason this happened was due to no other than one of her students, Nina.

"Hmm, how odd. What was this thing Lelouch had spotted? Hmm..." She vaguely inquired, seemly unaware of what her strong willed thoughts has caused to the session itself. It took a few seconds of shock and contemplation, combined with the silence of the whole court that now stared at her for the girl to realize what she had just done...

"W-wow. We can rewind the illusion-vision-thingy?" Milly boasted forth, being the first to break the cold.

Many others experimented with this discovery, splitting the reality around them to paint and view different perspectives of what they have been already shown...

"Apparently, yes." Lloyd declared nodding along ("_Neat!_" Milly cheered), "But that's not all surprising, dear. Not at all." He retorted, freezing his portion of the illusion into the same scene Nina had interest on, "Given this is _our_ evidence at hand, it should have been obvious. Now, I am curious about this light as well. It comes from the cargo… Why?" He pondered.

"We actually never recovered the stolen poison, did we?" Cecile questioned, now remembering, "What happened to it?"

Looking to Kallen and the former japanese fighters for answers, they all just blinked, "Zero had taken it." The Black Ace stated, recalling the vigilante's next grand act that relied upon meeting him, "Or at least I think he did."

Lost in the uncertainty, the Jury then stared at the man himself, some getting annoyingly anxious at the fact that everything was connected to either him, Lelouch or that cursed Witch in some way, shape or form. The reason why was again obvious, of course, but that didn't help with the clear feeling of suspicion and distrust...

"**There was no poison.**" Suzaku declared, as to quench down their curiosity, "**There was… A key, of sorts. A key to something worse.**" Yet, within the the mask itself, the shell-shocked japanese warrior grimaced, pondering how to explain or even handle the truth they're about to exposed of…

It can't be denied that there was no stopping the illusion now. The Jury now wanted to know. In fact, they had to. If what the Shinjuku Freedom Fighters had stolen wasn't poison, then just what in God's name was there that made Prince Clovis so bloody worried as to send his entire send his entire army down in the ghetto? What is this something worse?

This secret plagued their minds...

* * *

Their wish to know however was shortly regretted, for… "**Ah-ha!**" In a sudden flash, a face practically invaded everyone's personal space! ("_!?_") The shock on the Jury was instantaneos. It froze the illusion for a second, imprinting the man's unwanted smug in their minds before it continued ("_Hehe… Sorry_" The culprit apologized under the organized glare)...

"H-how did you know!?"

Either way, apparently such gasp was actually meant for General Bartley, who was confronted by this one sociopath duke amidst a military station at the foot of the imperial palace. And given the man's frowning shock, this was a problem he clearly didn't want to deal with... He had so many things to worry about that when faced with the meddling scientist, it only served to spill his real intentions.

"Ah, so I was right?"

"W-why you...!"

"Now now… It's you who screwed up here." Quite, Lloyd just accursed him with no remorse, freezing the man in how uncaring he looked. His face said it all: It was too late for punishment now, "To sum it up, something that you, alongside Prince Clovis, were researching in secret was stolen by the terrorists. And while retrieving it is simple enough, you want to sweep up every witness in one go. But to do that, you had to let the terrorists go and allow them guide you right into their hideout… Isn't that right?"

"Urgh…!" Without words, Bartley had no way to spin this off to secrecy. The Duke had already downplayed his fumble for him, something that made Lloyd's smile go wider at his conforming reaction.

"Congratulations! Your deductions were on spot." Shouted the Duke behind, praising the very presence of his assistant, Cecile, lurking by.

"I-It was nothing. I just thought it was strange…" The woman shyly recoiled.

"Enough!" Nevertheless, this undoubtedly left the General angry, "What do you want out of this?" He demanded to know, now forced to buy the man's silence lest more headaches stroll into his way...

"As I was saying before, I'd like to help with your endeavor." Lloyd proposed, triumphant.

"Help?"

"Correct. I want data from the cleanup." And pointing around, the scientist gestured towards the hundreds of vehicles and knightmares flowing into formation, one of them being his own truck, ready to bring war to the terrorists as intended.

"..." This made Bartley pause for a moment to realize the implications of this. Data… He wanted combat data. It makes sense given the role of the Engineering Special Corps is in experimental Knightmare frames, but is that really all of it? No bribes, no power plays or anything to add to his pockets? The General stood speechless. He considered the offer for a second but remained wary of the Duke's hidden intentions.

"Excuse me but, what in the world have they just stolen anyway?" Cecile asked curiously.

Glancing at her, Bartley's eyes twitched. If they don't know, then that's at least one problem less, "A chemical weapon… Poison gas." He answered nervously, going with the official lie. Considering how he was still cornered there, It is better to just pull these two in tow now and handle the fallout later. If anything, he could hunt them down for this impudence...

With this decision done, the grand operation could finally begin, much to the duke's happiness to join. Britannian forces in the region would soon begin an encirclement of the Shinjuku ghetto, with a large blockade in the planning. Tanks primed their guns across the quarters; soldiers moved in to obstruct the streets; and waves of planes glided from above, dropping several squads of unarmed troops into the ground, these being the infamous Honorary Britannians in their ranks, former numbers that now decided to serve the grand empire.

Their target? The location of the stolen truck, which now crossed the maze of tunnels below the destroyed remains of Tokyo…

"..._The terrorists are hiding inside the subway system. Your mission is to locate the weapon they've stolen and investigate whatever tunnel that these elevens live on in the ghetto. Report in as soon as you spot them. From there, recovery of the target will be handled by the royal guard. Don't forget this: you people may bear the title of Honorary Britannians but were originally born as Elevens, therefore the stench of these monkeys should be familiar to you all. If you want to earn the right to carry weapons then show some results! This is a opportunity to show your loyalty to Brittania!_"

"_**Yes, my lord!**_"

And frightened to all of this, the poor civilians that lived in the surrounded area only shivered in fear as faceless soldiers intruded their midsts, barging and entering every home they could find. Tensions were rising and the outcome of a skirmish was on the verge of sparking, with every soul praying for some salvation so that they would escape the incoming bloodshed…

* * *

Safe to say it, the display of the Britannian military strength did leave quite the image to the Jury as a whole. They had a similar experience once in Lelouch's infancy (discounting the real deal of course), but to see that imposing image of the invasion again still scarred some hearts.

"Wow Lloyd, that's quite was the act there. I didn't know you could be so… persuasive~" Milly commented, admiring somewhat the bold attitude of the flimsy scientist facing a known General.

"Well, I have my ways to keep face. (_Namely by being a full blown sociopath_.)" The man asserted in a mild reaction. His indifference was the key to it. Granted, Bartley doesn't have that kind of flair or charisma to appear as someone truly intimidating. The man could do well with some work out.

"Did you get into trouble for that though?" The girl continued, making him glance, "I mean, obviously with how of that ended up I'm sure that must have put you into someone's crosshairs." Milly clarified, trying to image the usual outcome of Britannian intrigue. This was like a big scoop for her after all, a secret meant to be recorded and spilled.

"Hmm true, you do have the right idea but fortunately for me the higher ups had more things to worry about. General Bartley did quite disappear after that so in the end I was mostly ignored..." The good scientist responded, much to girl's slight disappointment.

Listening in to their conversation though, none but two had actual inclination to possibly guess what Lloyd words actually meant. Indeed, Cornelia and Jeremiah silently frowned among themselves. They both knew what became of the General's existence. The princess learned this way back when she hunted for the truth of geass while Orange knight didn't have a choice really, he was but an experiment to false masters as they turned him into a weapon.

Regardless however, the point remains that Bartley was the one they both know the end of. He was the one Cornelia had cornered on after years of pursuit, and although Jeremiah was fine the gruesome reality of it, the things she uncovered there… It casts quite the shadow into what she's seeing now in this session.

If anything, the desperation of Britannia is now quite apparent. The sight of the giant planes looming over the broken ghetto did not appeal l well to the Jury's overall mood in the slightest, which made things worse. The way their existence is often accompanied with an image of dread and despair reminded them of what old Empire was capable of, not to mention what they had wrought to the world as consequence…

Tianzi for example shivered alongside the cowering families as the soldiers descended, for even back in the Lelouch's past, the image of that local town burning under flames was still imprinted in her mind vividly. And hearing how that man behind the radio lectured and disciplined his own troops with such cold disgust in his voice, the young Empress of China couldn't understand how these things came to be, or how can someone bear such hatred for another… It is too frightening for her.

But she would not falter, not when her title demanded her strength. She is a Empress, and a Empress had to be strong, "Urgh..." Or at least try to...

"You're okay, Jiang?"

"Oh? A-ah yes! Yes I am!" She boasted, more to herself in fright, than to her friend Kaguya who just smiled. Somehow though, Tianzi could just see that her friends was snickering at her face, making her pout at it. Little did the Empress knew however that just this little interaction was enough to make her forget about the frightening scene that moved on to show in the illusion. She felt inspired to watch now, if only to prove her friend Kaguya wrong.

Either it will work or not however, It has to be seen...

* * *

Brought into scene, the truck was back on the center of it all, driven by a bleeding Nagata that barely kept his conscience going due to the grievous wounds he just couldn't treat. He didn't knew for how long he had been driving in these tunnels but at very least his pursuers were no longer on his tail. Somehow, Kallen managed to steer and lose them, making this the one good thing they had so far.

That said, he was far too injured to keep any attention to the road, so when a wide gap in the road appeared, there was no chance for a dodge this time. Thus, in a bumpy crash, the truck was halted on spot as the wheel got stuck in the ruined pavement, grinding but unmoving...

"Damnit..." Nagata cursed, feeling his conscience slip from the impact. He had no choice now, "Please Ohgi… Find me..!" He urged on, doing the only thing he could: Flip the switch to open the cargo walls before falling unconscious.

Meanwhile, Lelouch, startled by whatever that caused the truck rock, frowned, "(_An accident? Or else?_)" He could only speculate. Chances are it was former though given the noise of the truck's wheel scraping the ground outside. Once it stopped however, the prince broke in a sweat, specially when the side door suddenly opened. Thinking quickly, he moved on to hide and observe, already expecting some company to appear.

Unfortunately for him, that didn't mean he wasn't as unnoticed as well he wanted to be…

One of the faceless soldiers of Britannia, lurking in this particular section of the tunnels, spotted the truck in the distance with his high-tech visor. Unimpaired by neither darkness nor range, his magnified sight eventually caught wind of the exposed cargo that was their target. Thus, with his objective located, he did as ordered, tapping into the communicator in his uniform to report in.

From there, the response above was immediate, "_4-0-4 has found the target._"

"_Understood, all forces prepare for recovery!_"

What came next though left the soldier on edge. Seeing the alert sign flash on his visor, he quickly located a unidentified individual crouching down in a corner near the target itself, presumably an possible terrorist tickering with the bomb. That is dangerous. If the enemy fiddled with the sealed poison now, thousands would be dead in its wake. In other words, he had stop him!

So, caught unaware, Lelouch had but a split second to react as a flying spinning kick coming from an impossible angle slammed into his barely raised block, throwing him off his feet to the ground from the force alone.

"Argh!... A-a Britannian…!" Groaning, he looked up only face the soldier pressing on his chest, grabbing his throat around the collar of the clothing to immobilize him down.

The man's mask around the mouth then dropped down only to shout, "That's enough mindless murder!" In a dread accusation.

"Wait! I'm not-"

"I can't believe you people would use poison gas! Are you insane!?"

And Lelouch, knowing how he was not going to convince the man from this position, winded up a kick, "Gr, get off me!" Forcing the man to jump back in a recoil right into a fighting stance, "I was not here by choice!" He told the soldier angrily while standing up, "Besides, this IS a weapon made by Britannia, right!?"

"W-what? You..." Yet, in a unusual reaction coming from his dreaded countrymen, the soldier froze on spot.

"If you wish to stop mindless murder, then why not just obliterate Britannia!?" Lelouch pressed on, staring into the enemy's visor with all the anger and wrath he had long subdued. If shock and awe of this declaration was enough to stun this puppet of a soldier, then perhaps there's still a chance he could use a lie to escape this mess. This is what the prince silently thought through this.

"Lelouch?"

"...!?" However, if there was one thing he wasn't expecting for was his name to be called…

The soldier, taking off his visor, revealed his face, appearing as none other than his old friend, a ghost from his past childhood, "It's me, Suzaku."

"Wha-!" Truly, such discovery put Lelouch into stupor for a second, with memories of joy and horror flashing across his face. Suzaku was alive! Alive and well! This... This is good, he reasoned. It really is... But still, for all the moments they had long spent together before, for all the good times they shared on, finding his friend dressed in cohorts with his most hated nation… It baffled the prince on spot. He had to ask, "You… You became a Britannian soldier?"

"Yeah." Nodded Suzaku innocently, flinching from the sudden frown Lelouch quickly displayed. The anger was explicit and it didn't take long for him to reason why. Considering how they met here of all of places, this was something he couldn't ignore. After all, he is a soldier on a mission, while Lelouch was found is here... on a truck that now belonged to the terrorists, which means, "What about you? Don't tell me you're-"

"What are you saying-"

Yet, in middle of their reunion-turned-interrogation, a light suddenly disturbed their confrontation, bursting out from the sealed container that supposedly held the deadly poison gas. Out of nowhere, the clamps and pumps that kept it's contents closed and pressured just detached themselves for some reason, giving room for a massive array of rainbow light to invade the entire cargo where both teens stood.

"!?" Suzaku, already realizing the worst, primed into action first, forcing the mask he was wearing for protection right into the mouth of his best friend in a attempt to save him. This ended with both of them being pushed into the ground just as the container fully opened…

And what came out of it was not any chemical weapon that they had known of. Actually, it revealed a blinding core whose center wriggled with motion and life. Indeed, in a bizarre display of pristine existence, a silhouette rose from a crouching position, waving its green hair into view as it belonged to a bright young woman.

"It's not poison gas…?" Uttered Suzaku, looking confused. He continued to press the mask into a equally bewildered Lelouch but it appears nothing malicious seemed to occur. The soldier himself just breathed fine.

"..."

"..."

Seconds pass, and the recently woken being stares at them, causing whatever core that held her in to pop open, spilling it's liquid contents down. The woman then fell unconscious, her existence still a mystery to the two of them…

* * *

This string of revelations once again shook the jury on their core. Just the sight of Suzaku, the real living breathing naive Suzaku, being the one Lelouch would meet of all honorary britannians was quite the surprise, not enough for some to freeze the illusion really, but still something contemplate. And then C.C appeared… C.C, the very Witch herself, the cargo stolen by the Shinjuku Freedom Fighters, the one key that Zero had mentioned...

Well then.

"Tch, Clovis you fool!" Cornelia shouted, unable to contain her grinding teeth as she slammed the unbendable iron of the truck's surface at this shameful revelation. To think that even her pompous brother was involved in the curse of geass… it just left her livid. Isn't there anyone in her cursed family that isn't irredeemably stained!? Cornelia doubted much… Aside Lady Marianne and some few others like Nunnally, something in her gut said no. They were all raised together in such horrible way that there could be no denial of it, the bad seeds were planted everywhere!

"Your highness…" Even Guilford, seeing his beloved and superior react with such anguish, could barely handle the sheer expression of betrayal imprinted in the Princess-Regent.

"(_...I wanted to believe you were clean, Brother. I even FOUGHT in your name and sought to avenge you! And even then, you had to dabble in this horrific crime!? What am I supposed to believe now?_)" There was no answer to bear.

"C.C… Big brother… How…?" Truly, Cornelia's big recoil wasn't missed by the rest of the crowd. Nunnally too had her mind filled with questions. Suzaku had told them of this. He told everyone of how there was no poison. But even then, finding C.C here in this place, once at Clovis's custody was indeed was something the Britannian Empress couldn't ignore. Although, Nunnally has long began to doubt the immortal was a friend to begin with, the way disaster always seem to follow her around struck the brunette girl with a terrifying thought: Could she be the cause of her Brother's fall, of her family even? The many clues presented so far seemed to suggest much on this… Even though she doesn't want to believe.

"Now isn't this revealing?" Xingke commented, eyes narrowing, "The key to something worse… How poetic, Zero."

"**Hmph.**"

"So this is a confirmation then? C.C is the source of our troubles all along..." Todoh pondered, reading in between the lines, "She is the one who manipulated both Lelouch and you."

"**...To a minor extent, yes...**"

Given the vigilante's grumbling answer, this alone cast shiver in everyone's spine, "How troublesome..."

"Wait, wasn't she in Britannian custody to begin with?" Kaguya suggested, her face turning fairly serious, "She was trapped in a container that belonged to a Britannian facility..." She revealed, passing the impression that this might be the one moment from whence C.C started to bear the grudges against Britannia.

And considering this is when she happens meet Lelouch now, the following implication was pretty much clear to rest of the Jury.

"Did you know of this?" Ohgi asks his wife, looking for answers in vain. Villetta did say her job was to find C.C yes, but not to recover her. There's a big difference between the two.

"No, and I don't think anyone ever knew of this back then..." The Britannian affirmed. She did try to calm her husband down though, not that it was working. The Prime Minister was quite shaken by this discovery. Who would have known that the secret Naoto had died for was C.C all along? The thought is unnerving...

"Well, then what do you know of, Britannian?" A soul confronts the tanned woman, spite spilling from her tone, "Can you, or us for that matter, even trust in your own memories?"

"Chiba!"

"I'm sorry Todoh-sama but I can't dismiss this! Everything that is touched by that Witch carries the scent of geass in some shape or form, and the Britannians had her under their whims for who knows how many years! How can we trust them to not be influenced by the same malignance that created the Demon Emperor and that father of his!?"

The accusations from the holy swordswoman opened a scar in Villetta's wounds, "I..." She couldn't quite answer the inquiry without remembering her own disabled memory, with lapses of loss barely flickering through. To this day the effect of geass haunts her still… Which only served to put her into mute shock.

"We have been through this discussion before." Xingke came in her defense, "It is pointless to argue on it. If there was any vestige of power, unwillingly or not, planted in the Britannia's hands, it would have become notorious during the war. In fact, victory would be more than guaranteed if that was the case, specially if they had control of it." He expressed forth, calm and direct.

"How do you do know they didn't use it then?" Chiba retorted, "Lelouch certainly used his to create those false miracles of his but what about the rest of Britannia? All those victories they wrought, all the massacres… You cannot deny this possibility."

"That's not the point, I'm not denying it, I am but stating a fact. Despite all odds, victory was granted to us regardless and not from Britannia's actions alone. Lelouch killed his father, and in turn, was himself slain. This is proof that C.C may have at least acted against tyranny to some minimal degree, independently from who bears the power. It may have been due to revenge, or even to prevent another mistake from happening in Lelouch's case, but that Witch has influenced history enough to have it go in our side when we most needed, and that's something even you have to agree… Unless of course you think willpower alone can defeat the might of geass."

With his argument presented, Todoh's subordinate reeled in her anger, trying to challenged the notion of his proof, but not find the right words, "Grr..." She had to concede to the last point, for that was a truth she couldn't deny. Not matter how much she would have wished, will alone isn't enough...

"..."

"So... Where do this leaves us, sir?" Xianglin inquiries, trying re-align herself in context of what is this all about.

"The Britannians can't be blamed for they cannot control... Not when their leaders were the one who brought this to themselves." The chinese advisor declared, looking directly at Chiba, "They have played with what they shouldn't and have paid the price for their creation, something we all have lived with and fought through, so let's not get our emotions out of hand. We're here to just see what that creation was... The Demon of Britannia." The man declared, directing all eyes back into the scene at hand, frozen illusion of Lelouch...

Indeed, now that they could see it, the pieces begin to fit, much to the dread of the Jury at hand, who watched the still innocent form of fallen prince starting at an unconscious C.C. The only question that remains now is: How it will happen? How will the Demon be born?

The Jury can only stop talking and see it for themselves...

* * *

Their will however brought them elsewhere, in another section of the ghetto right where an antenna peeks out of a hole in the ground to catch and pass along radio signs from all around the quarter. Quite, in a strange change of pace, the Jury could only glance as said antenna from the resuming session belonged to certain red glasgow in hiding, one who was primed with its factsphere ready to check for any presence in the region. And the pilot? That fighter girl that manage to outrun the imperial? She was present in her cockpit, slouched back to rest and contact her brethren now that she found some safety…

"Sorry. In all the confusion, I've left the radio in my coat." Past Kallen expressed, answering someone from the comms.

"_It's okay, the glasgow's circuitry are usable… _" Came the recognizable response from Ohgi, "_So, are we right on the plan?_"

"Yeah, I bet it's poison gas like our intelligence said." The girl suggested. It had to be given all the hassle amounting outside.

"_And Nagata?_"

"I dunno. I think he made it underground." Or at least, Kallen wanted to believe that much, though she left it unsaid… Then again, with the army now in play, they risk getting way too much attention the longer this goes on. Surely, It's clear now that some among them would come unscatched from this mess. In fact, if knightmares are rolling free on the field, it's hard to imagine Nagata escaping so easily...

Such thoughts however would prove to be more accurate than she would have wished since her teammate was indeed trapped on the truck down there, seemly unconscious from all the blood loss that he suffered. His on fortune is that his presence was barely noticed or recognized by the two youngsters that now walked away from the cargo, carrying that mysterious girl in their hands. At this point, there were too many questions to ponder on for them to ever bother the sleeping driver on the cabin.

This leaves the then alone once again, forced to handle whatever mystery they just stumbled into.

"Tell me truth, Susaku. The poison gas, this girl… What's happening?" Lelouch demanded first, attending the damsel gently while his friend removed the white straitjacket out of her body.

"It's what they told us in the briefing. I just don't know." The soldier answered in innocence. This blatant disinformation they have been fed with seemed quite suspicious, even for Suzaku.

"..."

Who is she? Why was she there? Why did the terrorists stole her? And from where did they stole from? These and many other hundred questions sprout simultaneously in Lelouch's mind as he tried to reason a clue, something clearly put him into a state of worry. Indeed, what he came up with didn't help him feel good, specially with what his friend just said.

The prince was about suggest something when fate intervened, with a flash of lights flaring out, coming right from the corner of an entrances as to illuminate the tunnel!

"...!?"

Without them even noticing, the two are met with an entire squad of royal guard foot soldiers standing in front of a land vehicle, all armed and primed at them, led by single beret-marked individual that adorned the same red uniform of his men...

"You damn monkey..." The leader cursed, with unfolded anger just from staring the situation, "Being an Honorary Britannian doesn't excuse you of what you've done!" He accused, bearing a tone of immediate reprimand.

Realizing his mistake, Lelouch's friend didn't exactly know what to do outright. Rather, given their sudden reaction, Suzaku reflexively stood to face his officer as to report his actions, only to be met with immediate discipline...

"B-but sir, I was told the weapon was poison gas."

"How dare you question orders!?"

And watching all of this, Lelouch grimaced on sight, "(_This is bad…_)" With just the little he had heard from the officer's tone, he immediately understood the underlying intrigue he had gotten himself in, "(_The clear misinformation, the overwhelming response, and the presence of the royal guard… Suzaku, it all ties to this… this is girl IS the poison, one so deadly that it threatens the life of your superiors if it even gets out!_)"

Yes, this is what he deduced. It had to be a state secret of sort, something so dangerous that the terrorists didn't have the slightest clue when they settled on to steal it. Which means, they'll execute anyone who ever comes in contact with this girl...

"Private Kururugi, in light of your outstanding military achievements, I'm going to be lenient this time." The office affirmed, unholstering his own pistol in offer, "Take this gun and execute the terrorist."

Such demand served only shock Suzaku and startle Lelouch as his fears proved to be true once more, "But he's not a terrorist! He's a civilian who got caught up in all of this!" His friend tried to cover for him there, but he was too blind on how bad of situation this was.

In fact, his words only made things worse given the sudden frown on the man's face, "You little…! That's order! Didn't you swear your loyalty to Britannia!?"

"I… Yes... yes I did, but… I can't." Suzaku however resisted, unable form the words to explain himself and fulfill his oaths.

"_What?_"

"I cannot do this, sir… I cannot shoot a civilian. Not him..." He refused. After all, Lelouch was his friend, his only friend. Suzaku could never find the will in his heart to kill him. Not like this. Plus, he also couldn't of course just explain the reason why, for that is secret too dear to the prince himself. It is a promise that no one was supposed to know, no matter the risk or punishment he may suffer...

Thus, the office then, very slowly and very calmly paused, "Very well..." He first said, just as the hopeful Eleven turned to face his friend with a smile, "_Die then_." He declared next, right before shooting him right around the hip.

"Gah!"

"Suzaku!"

The bullet put the young man down, his body laying cold on the ground just as Lelouch screamed for him.

"Well Britannian schoolboy, this really is not a day to skip class." Mocked the officer at an shell-shocked prince. At this point his job was practically done now, "Collect the girl and kill the student." He gave his final order and then turned around to leave the rest to the remaining soldiers.

"_Yes, my lord!_"

Helpless, Lelouch realized rather quickly that this might be the end of the line for him…

His mind worked in overclock as to create any plot he could use to save himself, be it by handing over the girl; by using his duke persona as excuse; or even by revealing his royalty status, all of which was quickly denied and blocked by thought-of complications, a side effects from not having the time to think. Truly, he couldn't even he mourn on his friend, cornered as he was, after this batlant checkmate cast on his table. It was over, the men would just shoot him and there was nothing he could do...

Or at least, he believed so, until the truck behind him spontaneously exploded...

* * *

And of course, who wouldn't flinch in complete surprise to such abrupt disruption of a dramatic event? The Jury most certainly was caught in the edge of the scene, specially given the sudden turn of events by the appearance of the royal guard and resolution of Lelouch's fate...

"Well damn! Right through the gut..." Rivals recoiled, grimacing from the shoot his friend just took.

"Actually, that was through the hip." Nina corrects, also showing some disgust in her face.

"Is there any difference?" He retorted, shaking the head. This makes him regret even more having sparked this incident back in Highway. Just how bad will this go because of that!?

"S-Suzaku…" It even put Nunnally into shock again as the poor girl screamed for friend's name in the same vigor as her brother did when the shot happened. If it wasn't for the man's real presence behind her the brunette would certainly cry tears, and that's not even counting the explosion there...

"I don't get it though, did the truck just… explode?" Questioned Gino, mentally rewinding the scene back a few seconds to see it again. It indeed, exploded, but without a single discernible cause by the looks of it. No sparks, no flames, no obvious leaking fluid anywhere. No, it was only the explosion, "Okay, I do have to ask this: Did you guys rig the truck to explode?" He inquired from Kallen who identified with the terrorists.

"Uh... Yes?" She answered, sheepishly.

"Why though? Weren't you guys just planning to ruin the Viceroy's popularity or something?" Milly interrogated, a bit shaken. She just saw two of her old friends get shot and blasted right off the bat there.

"Well yes, that was the plan, but we also couldn't let the Britannians have their poison back." The redhead answers, irked, "My brother died for this secret you know! We couldn't let them get away due our own failures."

That however didn't help with the reporter's anxiousness, "Right, but even so, If that thing actually was poison gas like you suspected, what would happened then? I mean, would you just let… I-I don't know, hundreds of people, of japanese, to die just like that?" She points out, striking a nerve. As far as she remembers it, this was the cause for all the encirclement that had occurred, and that not to mention C.C's appearance, which is another confusing thing.

In either case this certainly deconstructed the red ace there, "W-well, no we wouldn't, that would be…" _Bad_, Kallen would say, even though the correct term should be massacre, much like she previously rejected. But of course, there was no way to downplay what Milly just implied. The redhead knew well the possible consequences of what may have happened there if their intel was true…

"..." As result, there was only tension and apprehension left between the school council. They had so much to ask about this, as well about that green girl… Yet they just didn't know how.

"Redundancies, my dear! This is the way of war." Alas, breaking the ice through, Lloyd came to the rescue, strangely eager than usual, "The poison had come out in one way or another, so your terrorist friend over there had planned for that, if only to not waste their partner's sacrifice." He affirmed, drawing a bit of sullen contempt from Kallen herself, "Either way, His Majesty was sharp in his assumption of the girl. That C.C is practically a price by itself... enough to wage a massacre on top of it."

"So she's what General Bartley and Prince Clovis were looking into… How horrible." Cecile judged, aggravated. All of the bloodshed, all of the war, the revolution and the rise of Zero, just for this. Such realization really served to provoke the usually kind scientist that she is...

"Hmm, good thing none of that poison was real though. Less of a hassle. But I'll say, that explosion still was really close, and somehow both Suzaku and Old man survived." Rakshata comments, pulling everyone back to the scene, "Jow did the escape all of that?" She asked next.

"..." No one had the answer outright. They knew the conclusion but not the procedure. The explosion might have acted as cover that Lelouch could use yet to what extent he will escape from his situation? The Royal Guard is still there, fully armed and loaded; Suzaku is wounded and knocked out; and there is the entire army of Prince Clovis encircling the ghetto on the surface. Unless C.C wakes up and works her magic out, the fallen prince will need a miracle just to survive.

And everyone knows how those things work out…

In one way or another, the Jury's apprehension was unending. Lelouch's infamy was about to rise, and they all dreaded his rise as they willed the illusion forward once more...

_**To be Continued...**_


	15. Stage 1 - The Day a Demon was Born Pt3

**Stage 01 - The Day a New Demon was Born (Part 3)**

With the session unveiled, their suspicion is cleared. The explosion was indeed Nagata's deed, his last act of defiance shown as he gives one last look at the photo of his happy family before priming the detonation button…

"_Long Live Japan..._" And so, it happened, the combustion of the truck's fuel rocked the tunnels with tremors all the way through the subway system, throwing the soldiers, Lelouch, and the girl in his hands off their feet as smoke filled the entire room. The destruction was such that it was clearly detected and spotted by every soul up in the surface, including the Britannian land-cruiser that strolled through the ghetto under the orders of General Bartley. And as one would expect he was indeed enraged with this conclusion after finally managing to get a response from the ground team in what seemed to be minutes past...

"They got away!?" He shouted frantically over the radio, "And you call yourselves the royal guard!?"

"_F-forgive me, my lord! The blast was mainly directed upwards but the bedrock just collap-_"

"Enough excuses! Why the hell do you think I only trust you people with this!? Get it done!"

"_Y-yes sir, we will continue the investigation..._"

That said, the General was breathless through all this mess… It was taking too long, too long for them to recover one measly creature. This prompted him to wipe the sweat off his face while screaming orders around to make things work despite the futility of it all. The truth is, both his leadership and desperation was clear for all to see, and even then, he is but one cog in the chain of command itself trying his best to make this delicate operation flow.

Unfortunately for the General though, right behind him, a royal soul contemplated these circumstances and found them disappointing...

"The plan has moved to the next phase it seems..."

"...!"

Prince Clovis, present on his throne on the bridge, looked at his subordinate with a bored glance, having already judged his uselessness. Quite, he is starting to suspect that the enemy, those cursed terrorists, have found out about his secret by now, meaning he shouldn't compromise any longer on dealing with them.

"But your highness, I-"

"If knowledge of her gets out, I'll be disinherited." He warned the General, making it very clear what's the consequences that may come out from this, something the fat man knew well, "There's no time to be lost. Give word back home that we will be carrying out a planned urban renewal."

"..." Gulping down, Bartley then nodded, merely gesturing to a nearby crew to obey.

After this, the royal noble, now with a serious demeanor, stood up in grandeur stance to give his next order when ready, "I, Clovis, third prince of the Empire, order you! Destroy Shinjuku Ghetto! Leave no one alive!"

"_Yes, my lord!_"

With his sentence, this sparked a whole change in the britannian army's behavior from here and beyond. All of sudden, Knightmares were launched; the armed soldiers began to invade; the tanks began to fire discriminately; and every soul that was found in their path was just thoroughly purged from existence.

It was a massacre. Japanese families ran for their lives; men, woman and child were exterminated by cannon fire, helicopters strafted through the streets raining guns at everything and elderly souls were just shot in their own homes without a ounce of hesitation...

"_Why are the Britannians doing this!?_" Was the wonder of many right before soldiers just sweep through every building, every corridor and every place, gunning down anything that moved.

The answer? It was clear as day, "_...The enemy is garbage that could never hope to become Honorary Britannians. Wipe out every last one of them!_"

That was the order they were given, a sentiment shared by many Britannian with glee on their eyes, including those of the infamous Purist Faction, "Naturally..."

"_Supervisor Jeremiah, General Bartley wants you to take command of area 2-_"

"Bartley has his staff, right? Leave them to it. I've hadn't this much fun in ages!" Declared the Imperial Warrior himself, ignoring orders as to go wreak havoc across the battlefield in the way he wished... Truly, his attitude there even shocked Jury as they stare at the same man amongst them with disgust, receiving no reaction except for his closed eyes.

Yet, none of it mattered. Back then he just had his job much like the others did. The encirclement of the ghetto was to proceed with impunity, giving no room for any impediment found in the prince's path. This is what the the terrorist wrought to themselves, their destruction to be carried out immediately, with it's progress being carefully monitored on High Command's map screen inside the land-cruiser.

"Hmph..." With this, Prince Clovis appeared amused, relieved even, at his choice of action. Perhaps now his mistakes will be washed away with the blood of his enemies, as it should be for one fit of royalty...

* * *

"Wha- What a monster!" Kallen shouted, feeling incredulous with rage. She stared at the scene, at the Prince's order, and then at her fellow Britannians, "How can he do this!? How can you people do this!?" She demanded in a scream, making everyone wince in reaction, her eyes watering from the sheer amount of emotions coursing through. The red ace may have lived through this before, yet even then, the scar of seeing this murderous scene still tore her through, making her want to punch, and rise, and gear up for a fight all over again in retribution for her fallen brethren.

And honestly, how can anyone blame her for it?

"All those people, slaughtered… Why Clovis, just why!?" Nunnally herself couldn't comprehend it. The very frail image of her loved brother was shattered right in front of her eyes. Clovis betrayed her beliefs, he betrayed those of his own people, all because of whatever cursed secret C.C seems to bear in her body… This even makes her past bitterness of mourning his death fall apart in comparison to the infuriating feeling rising in Nunnally heart for this sacrilege. The brunette girl was disgusted. Shocked beyond reason, to the point that she didn't know what she would do if she was ever forced to judge her brother for his crimes. Truly, nothing could explain this inhumanity he had done, nothing at all.

"Such is the way of Britannia." Cornelia however tried, her desolate tone of defeat clear for all to hear, "It is what we do… We obey orders, like the good soldiers that we are, proudly serving the Empire that we wrought to create in our ideals..." She admitted, making her guilt to be shown in full while facing her little sister directly, all to hold on to whatever faith or mercy the young Empress could bear for her, "I'm sorry Nunnally… I'm not different than them. Not even him." She declared, shaking her own head. This clearly meant that even she, a appropriately named Witch of Britannia, has done certain things that none should proud of, things that were done with pure glee and sadism.

"..." As such, this alone seemed to crack down certain hopes that Nunnally had for her family's creeds. Given there wasn't already much to hope for in the first place, she really didn't know what to think now, all things considered.

Behind her, Zero seemed tense in his stance. Suzaku was after all fuming at what has just occurred, "(_Prince Clovis, you… You deceived us! You deceived us all!_)" He mentally judged, partially reprimanding himself for being a blind cog through it all. Now he knows why Lelouch did what he did, why he resorted to the final solution. It was an retaliation from his part to stop this madness from whence everything started. Suzaku may not agree with the decision completely (given the prince's importance) but he understood why Lelouch had done it. Now both he and Nunnally will have live with this cruel fact that yes, the pompous, kind, and generous Viceroy of Japan was naught but a mass murderer of innocent lives…

Beyond this, nothing more needs to be said really. The crowd has it's opinions, with most of them denouncing the presented crimes while few like Jeremiah or Schneizel merely lamented choices that were made on scene due to its pointlessness. Others like Tamaki and his crew were, ironically enough, rather quiet in their corner, sulking alone by themselves. And the remaining Japanese dignitaries? Their anger was shown in full display, tempered under the edge of tranquility as to not waste their breaths with what once happened. After all, the ugly reality that remains from this is that nothing can be done now, for dead had long fallen and the past was already cast into stone.

This is the horror they've wrought for themselves in acceptance of the invitation, so the Jury is left with one only option: Move forward.

* * *

After the given order, all eyes were brought outside the cruiser, where a transport, belonging to a certain duo of scientists, sat idle amidst the escalation of the one-sided skirmish that was carrying on. As expected, Lloyd and Cecile did join the army's formation in a sense, their presence being given the full authority at the pull that General Bartley had provided. However, since their most vital key element needed to collect their desired combat data was missing, there was little they could do to proceed with their project…

"...He's not there...?" Lloyd blinked, listening to his assistant.

"No. It looks like he's gone to the front line." Cecile affirmed with a nod, "I suppose he's busy with his new orders…"

"Even though we brought the Lancelot here? How can this be?"

News were not any good. They had at least expected to some update on what happened out there so they could move on but it seems that Bartley and the Third Prince have just forgotten their existence there, even taking their only pilot with them to the frontlines…

"What should we do now?" Asked the good assistant, glancing at the shrouded remains of their setup, ready to go.

Lloyd shrugged in sadness. He held the key in his hands but had no one that could to use it, "We steam rolled ourselves all the way here and they just had to take our Devicer away..." These were sad times indeed.

Yet, little did the eccentric duke know that a certain injured soldier was making his way back to the central encampment. It would take some time for him to realize it, but the Britannian Army would begin to suffer casualties very soon. In other words, they would have plenty of able men to use as guinea pigs once the word gets out.

And since they only need someone to roll on their simulation protocols, their future was already set...

Meanwhile, escaping through the ruins of disaster, Lelouch and C.C were shown running as fast as they could through the collapsed remains of some mall building. Their clothes were dirty and they had many bruises, which served to reveal how they had escaped death at hands of the royal guard in the last minutes of now, never stopping as much as to catch a breath. In fact, only it's when the rescued Witch suddenly tripped down from a piece of rubble that Lelouch could finally take the time to process the straining stress amounting in his mind…

"What the hell are you!?" He shouted in demand, leaning his back on a nearby the wall to hold in his breath of despair. In a way, he already knew the answer ti his own question at bottom but that still didn't alleviate his conscience, "This chaos is all your fault, isn't it!?"

"..."

"Not only that but Britannia has… T-they killed Sukazu!" He admitted to himself, forced to accept it, "(_How? Why? Where does she fit into it? What could this one girl represent in this degree as to sparkle such ruination? It makes no sense!_)" Indeed, the prince was overwhelmed. His intellect alone couldn't conceive what he got himself into. The few speculations he could drawn in his mind as for why everything happened sounded far too shallow to serve as a proper reason. It had to be something deeper, something with meaning. Suzaku's death must had a purpose in this madness.

"..." Safe to say, Lelouch wasn't quite stable right now and the girl herself didn't help by not sharing any opinion of her own. In fact, she only observed him with silence, mute to his pleas and emotions while he struggled, something that both angered and relieved prince even more in some sense. At very least, she wasn't asking anything of importance back to him since it was clear he wouldn't be willing to cooperate either.

Nevertheless, they didn't have time to stay there pondering amongst themselves… The battle outside neared in and they had to keep moving. So, taking her hand, the prince forced himself into a calm state once more and pushed on, locking down his hatred on the inside for a later time.

"Come on..." Their path was brief now. Their location was somewhere distant from all the noise. Lelouch had to drag this mute girl away from any presence, Britannian or Japanese alike, as to avoid any attention lest he invites danger to himself.

This eventually led them to a warehouse of sorts, somewhere near a river that could be seen in the distance. And there, crouching on top of stairs, the prince slowly but surely went out to poke his head on the exist to look for any presence.

"_Okay, stay quiet now..._" He whispered to the girl, going up first. As expected, his paranoia did the job again, for they were indeed not alone. The moment Lelouch managed to see something, machineguns instantly sprayed over the corpse of some new Japanese victim. "...!" It was the royal guard again, quite the portion of them, all gunning down the helpless locals that took refuge on these stores…

"Well?"

"There's only Elevens here, sir."

"Hmm..." This made the prince drop a sweat. He recognized the voice of the officer that killed his friend, "Are you sure of it? Does that exit comes out from here?"

"Yes, sir. It matches up with our map of the old city."

Fearing a possible sweep up, Lelouch was about to sign the girl to retreat when the sudden outcry of a crying sound made him flinch. A survivor remained, a survivor that was immediately shot down by the cursed Britannians without a blink.

The prince couldn't even look at it…

* * *

The Jury, on the other hand, couldn't even take their eyes out. Things just kept getting worse...

"Was- was that a child?" Sugiyama questioned, caught in disbelief.

Minami beside him only gulped in a nod, "Holy shit..."

"Oh goddamnit you sick bastards! Heartless scum! Cursed sons of a whore! If I were there, I would have killed you all up! Butched and pissed on your bloody corpses after I had torn them apart! Gah!" Tamaki swore bitterly. He shouted with vigor, not being able to contain himself after seeing what was a safehouse of actual civilians, man, woman, children and families, getting all slaughtered in complete injustice. At this point, the whole conundrum of C.C's manipulation before felt like an minor sting compared to the real executions done by the actual Britannians. You could say he secretly wished for the Demon to do something at this point.

And he wasn't the only one thinking the same.

"Just where Prince Clovis found these sycophants?" Kaguya inquired to no one in particular. The way they just do theses crimes against humanity seemed far too unreal to accept sometimes.

"Everywhere I suppose." Todoh spoke, his hawkish frown kept permanently fixed on his face, "Who wouldn't want to lick that princeling's boot? The power he gives is enough to make anyone go drunk with it..."

"Hmph! Even so, such lack of restrain! It's like they're really asking for karmic punishment now." She concluded, glancing at the still shocked expression of his lost beloved. Admitelly, Kaguya is increasingly annoyed at the lack of respect, if not common sense, that this immortal woman fails to demonstrate in regards to Lelouch's suffering. C.C could have just helped him recover or something! I mean, the prince truly needed it there, "(_Give him, and us for that matter, some answers at very least!_)" She figured… But no, C.C had the gall to stay quiet and let him suffer alone. Oh kami, the nerve of her!

"Kaguya."

"...yes?"

With her thoughts disrupted though, the young politician turned to face her young friend Jiang, who at this point had already broken into silent tears when all the horror of the extermination was revealed. The poor girl held tight to Xingke as if her life depended on it, "W-what would you do to them?" Tianzi asked her.

At this, Kaguya blinked, "What?"

"A-about the soldiers. You said they deserve punishment, right? What would you do?" The young Empress clarified her wonder.

Such question seemed to draw the attention of her two protectors, who were curious as to what she was into but The Chinese Empress didn't pay mind to them. This was a answer she really wanted to know directly from her japanese friend.

"W-well… I would like to have them apprehended and tried into a court." The young Chairwoman affirmed, but not with the bright tone she would have wanted. Then again, she was kinda caught off-guard there, "I would have punished them to the fullest extent of the law, just as we decreed in the U.F.N." However, for all her charismatic talent, this one sentence was far too much of a dismissal for the young girl to just accept. Tianzi figured this out by the sheer looks of disregard her peers seemed to gesture. The amount of 'pffs' didn't help either…

"Liar." The girl accused, quickly getting sullen, "You're only saying to that to make it easy for me..."

This in turn made Kaguya recoil, "Oh..."

"They are going to die, aren't they?" Tianzi announced next, actually making Xingke blink with his eyes wide there, "Lelouch is going to do it, right? This is what you want…"

"I-I..."

Her sheer boldness, combined with the loss of innocence was really scaring her peers off now, "What's wrong, Jiang?" Xingke intervened. He was getting worried now.

"Nothing… I just… I just wanted to know from her. There's so many japanese dying there that I… I wanted to know what I, as Empress, should have done if I was in her place." The girl concluded, silencing all with her choice of words.

Apparently, this thick shock of reality wrought by bloodshed seemed to partially traumatize the young thirteen year old head of China who tried to rationizale it all on her own. Sheltered by her loneself for so long, it's clear now how much cruelty there can be given all the history that she has been presented with. And now, following Lelouch's life in this King's Court, having to witness this brutality of Britannia, all of this made her want to know what should be expected from a leader in times like these. What to do with these bad guys? How to deal with them? What is the right thing to do?

There's morality at play here, and although there's many things Tianzi have been taught with, there's no denying that her peers, her guardians, her friends even, are acting in such different way than what she actually knows. Call it maturity or something, but even the young Empress could see and feel the raw hate expelled by the crowd around her. It looks so obvious on how they seem to be driven by it sometimes, making her wonder if it is something natural...

"Your Highness..." Realizing this, Xianglin and Xingke glanced at each other and frowned. Only look at the young girl and they could see the markings of someone who for the first time looked angry...

Truly, only now they understand how bad the revelation of the Lelouch's bloody history can be to young and gentle mind such as Tianzi's. This whole slaughter is not meant for children after all. Xingke made the mistake of not dissuading his protegee from accepting the Court's invitation and now that's biting him down here, forced with the reality of the Empress having to learn anger.

He has to deal with this quickly...

"Jiang, we will have a talk tomorrow morning…" The genius advisor proposed. He faced her with the most serious look she had ever seen for a expression, "It appears I'll have to teach you the real meaning of being a leader way sooner than I would have wanted. This means that I'll answer all the questions you wish to learn should you desire to know how to behave. Do you accept this?"

"Ah..." Such manners quickly brought the girl shyness back as she considered, "Y-yes…"

"Then I'll spare you no quarter. Be ready." And so, with air of proper authority, the General Commander of the Black Knights turned his gaze back to the crowd and spoke, "Please, let us just finish with this session quickly..." He pleaded in a more soft tone, the stress shown explicitly in his face.

The Jury in turn simply obliged, already feeling sick and dour at this long mayhem that was thrown in their faces. They figure that Lelouch must be close to act by now. He has to, if he is to survive, and C.C is right there with him to make it happen. So all eyes turned their attention to the scene again...

* * *

And what they see is Lelouch with his face looking agape, unsure on how to react when a phone ring spontaneously flared from his pockets. Desperate, he turned it off as quick as he could but it was far too late. The cursed thing had revealed his position in the worst moment possible, making grit his teeth as he went for a run.

As for the culprit that called him in this crucial time? It was no one that he or the Jury could guess or judge. The illusion didn't reveal it.

In either case, the royal guard eventually rushed to his position, locking him down on the corridor where there was no escape from their line of fire. One burst shot later and he was cornered, his hands forced upwards in surrender...

It was the end of the line again for the prince who was brought up, pushed into a wall and primed under a gun line, all while the girl he rescued could do nothing but stare worried while being thoroughly escorted.

"Hm, what an appropriate location for a terrorist to meet his end." The officer mocked him, indulging in the curses the boy threw at him, "You did well for a student, as is expected for an Britannian. Still, unfortunately for you my clever young friend, you have no future now. You've brought me quite the unwanted headache, so..." Without having to say it, he lined up his pistol and just shot, only to hit the very same girl he was supposed recover, splattering her branded forehead just as she jumped in the kid's defense…

"He mustn't die!" She last said before recoiling backwards.

"...!"

"...!" And so, gasping in awe, the deed was immediate, the girl fell on the ground, blood spilling into her cheeks in a rather crude conclusion. Indeed, this was something neither side had expected.

"Y-you, you shot her!" Lelouch accused, mortified at having another life lost due to his existence alone. Never he thought she would just save him like that, him, a complete stranger, a enemy of Britannia, and maybe, an possible ally of hers... That thought alone broke him.

"Hmph. Our orders were to bring her alive if possible..." The officer declared, not so content of the outcome, yet not so worried at same time, "Oh well, nothing can be done about that now. We'll tell our superiors that the royal guard found the terrorists' hideout and wiped them out. Regrettably however, the female hostage had been already tortured to death… What do your think of this, schoolboy?"

"..." Deaf to his words though, Lelouch was far too distressed by what happened to even consider a response. He was just too lost in his mind, "(_How could this be happening? First Suzaku, and now this girl…_)" The fallen prince only kept himself crouched down, arm stretched to reach the dead girl while trembling in fear of what is about to come, "(_Is this the end for me? With me not having done a single thing in my life? Just like this, so easily in a blink?_)" The barrel of the pistol was pointed on his face and the only thing Lelouch could think was his sister's gentle smile, her elegant form sleeping so peacefully in a garden of flowers. It is… his last thought.

"(_Nunnally…!_)"

But then, in his unconscious wish for a miracle, something happened, something inexplicable to describe… Yes, what came next was a defiance of all reality and logic that the prince would ever know from now on.

"...!" To start with, a hand grabbed his own, a hand, coming from the fallen girl who moments ago was shot dead. Her cold dead touch instantly warped his senses on grasp, distorting his perception and molding the world around him to such point that he was practically dragged to what could be only a metaphysical hallucination that just spontaneously came out of nowhere.

And it is in this surreal mind trip of an illusion that someone just called forth for him, "**You don't want it to end here, do you?**"

"What…?" Lelouch, carried by lightning into the void, through veins of some circuntry, could only stand stunned.

"**You appear to have a reason for living...**" It spoke again, addressing him from a world of reflected existence...

He recognized this voice, having heard only once in her recent death, "(_That girl? Impossible..._)" Yet what is with this madness he's perceiving?

"**If I grant you power, could you go on?**" She proposed, revealing herself in a similar fashion of reflection parallel to him, "**I propose a deal. In exchange for this power you must agree to make my one wish come true. Accept this contract and you accept its conditions. While living in the world of humans, you will live unlike any other, a different providence, a different time, a different life. The power of the king will condemn you to a life of solitude. Are you prepared?**"

Such offer, so fanciful and purposeful, it carried a promise, one so deep that the prince could feel it's certainty, exposing things into his mind that he couldn't comprehend. He saw the gap of two planets facing each other balanced by a star; he saw a storm of feathers encompassing his reflected existence the floated in the void; he saw glimpses of an unknown reality, cracks carved in stone to form a symbol; he saw this same symbol branded in the flesh of entire crowds of people, their eyes closed in communion; He saw the eye of jupiter gazing upon him, ominous and imposing; all while the girl expressed her offering of power, saying words that carried might from voice alone.

Lelouch's reluctance was constant through the hearing, diminishing only until one more vision in line compelled him to answer: His father, surrounded by his cohorts, amidst some ruins of ancients times...

This alone had the prince's interest sparked.

"_A convergence with the Ragnarok connection? So the myth is beginning once again?_" The dreaded man spoke, with all that arrogance and ambition he's known for.

Truly, the future Demon Emperor may not know the context on this revelation, nor he could know the meaning of these visions, but if his father is involved, if his future is in line, if a opportunity is given to him on the moment where he almost believed all hope was gone… Then, he had to take it.

"**Yes! I hereby accept the terms of your contract!**" He declared, with all the anger on the voice, and all the vigor he long restrained, finally moving on take the reigns of his destiny once more. No more would he yield to the world any longer, not while he has to power to fight against it!

…

…

"...!"

And thus, it occurred… Or at least, Lelouch believed so, for next in second he blinked, the cogs of reality shifted and he found himself back in the warehouse, back into the world that was about to consume him, at the hands of a quaint royal guard officer and his petty gun...

"..."

Strangely enough though, Lelouch didn't feel keen to question what he just experienced. Rather, he felt relieved, renewed even, his calm and collected mind cleansed from both fear and despair, leaving his heart serene. If anything, he never felt more alive than now...

"Say…How should a Britannian who detests his own country live his life?" He asked the officer directly, standing up to face his countrymen with pure indifference.

And noticing the clear change of behavior on the strange boy, the man didn't quite know how to react, "Hm? Are you some kind of radical?" Yet, upon noticing a certain glow behind the student's hand, a wave of uncertainty and anxiety eerily overtook him, even making freeze spot, "...!"

"What's wrong? Why not shoot? Your opponent is just a student..." The boy taunted him, unleashing this unknown weight of his shoulders. Whatever it is, something of a hold took grip of the officer's nerves. He felt scared, unusually scared, "Or have you finally realized it? The only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed!"

At his declaration, the boy then let his hand fall, allowing him, the officer, to finally see the source of this- nay, of **his**, overwhelming presence: A glowing glyph of an V, shaped like a bird, replacing the boy's left pupil...

"Wha- What's happening…?!" It shook the man to the core upon witnessing it.

The prince then, now feeling this immense power rising upon him, just let it flow, allowing whatever nature it has to take over, "[I, Lelouch vi Britannia, command you…All of you…Die!]" He demanded forth, casting his voice by the sway of his imposing hand, full of authority and glamour.

Truly, the officer couldn't even blink as the wave of red light flashed right through his eyes, warping the very biology of his brain to accommodate a foreign will. From that point and beyond, the man now felt that he had a mission to do, an duty to accomplish, an obligation to merely… obey, "[Yes, Your Highness!]" He declared, with sudden eagerness and joy. And oh, how joyful this felt for him! How good this purpose was when it came to his ear! It was so much he could just laugh at it al, so easy, so quaint… Hell, he even had the weapon in his hand, meaning that he just had to point it on his neck and then, "Fire!" Shoot his own neck off.

"Gah!" , "Ugh!" , "Argh!"

Indeed, one by one, Lelouch saw every soldier before him obey his exact orders…

They all just took their own pistols and killed themselves, with no remorse and no hesitation. No, it was the opposite. They did this as if it was their duty, an irrefutable order that couldn't be remotely questioned, all with the visible effect of having their eyes glowing in red under his irrefutable influence.

"...!" It was almost unimaginable to see it. The incredulity of such scene only fell into his conscience when a splatter of blood smeared his cheek, proving that this, that all he had saw from the brink of his own death until now, was not a dream…

On the contrary really, it is his newfound reality.

"(_I see… Now it makes sense._)" Lelouch reflected upon this, witnessing the blood of his enemies paint the floor upon his feet, "(_Since that day, I've lived a lie, the lie of living. My name too was a lie, my personal history, a lie, nothing but lies… I was sick to death of a world that couldn't be changed. But, even in my lies, I refused to give up in despair, and now, with this incredible power… it's mine._)"

Yes, this had to be it. Lelouch now has the power to finally move on to fulfill his own dream, something that just puts this malicious smile on his face when thinking on it, "**Well, then...**"

* * *

This is how it happened, how it framed in the scene, the Demon, being born with his sadistic grin, perfectly pictured as the last imprint of the session as it ended, reverting the world around the Jury back to its ancient architecture of a stage…

And what's there to be said really? How to react to such manner of horror? The crowd was ecstatic.

"What in the hell!?" Tamaki for example was visibly shocked by what he saw. While he mentally cheered on the brits being killed, the way it happened still left in him in mix of awe and confusion.

"That eye..." Todoh uttered, closely inspecting the sigil imprinted on Lelouch's eye, already recognizing it with the many examples found everywhere on their studies. Yes, this had to be it, the power and nature of geass. It is as menacing as it is mysterious for sure.

"But… But what happened there? C.C just- she just..." Ohgi tried to speak but could find the words to form his question, not it was needed given what everyone had seen it. They all tried to comprehend it's creation, watching as the witch mind-screwed Lelouch with all manner of visions. Truly, it all too inexplicable.

"A contract with the devil through a witch." Xiaglin summarized, frowning deep, "How convenient that she waited for the last second to just corner him into this!"

"Not quite." Xingke disagreed, facing his subordinate in a thought glance, "By her choice of words, it seems like she preferred to avoid having to offer that power if at all possible. She only did this to save his life… as well as herself if you think at it." The advisor concluded, narrowing his eyes, "What is interesting however is what she did to convince him to accept the contract given all that she revealed." He suggested next.

"The Ragnarok Conversion… The myth..." Kaguya affirmed, deeply caught in the implications, "Is Charles talking about the end of the world here? I don't get it."

"No one does, Lady Sumeragi. We'll have to look on it."

"Right..."

Nodding along, Schneilzel also carried his own speculations close by, silently judging what was shown to fit the pieces left by his brother and father. Safe to say, the conclusions were mixed at best, "(_So you knew of this place long before anyone did eh, Father? Unsurprising. I always found your taste for symbolic aesthetics so strange to bear. There's only so much tradition alone can do to cover the mystery behind those certain decisions of yours. Allegedly, you believed they carried power, which is not a far off assumption given this proof… In the end however, this girl was the key to it all, to the immortality and to Geass._)"

Through this, the fallen prince contemplated his next steps. If only he could get her somehow, then maybe he could put some minds into work… Not that he really needs to do it himself at principle.

In fact...

"Impressive. Just Impressive!" Lloyd and the other two scientists were already having some epiphanies, "Did you see that blue framework!?" The eccentric man asked of Cecile, with barebone recognition to his rival Rakshata.

"Y-yes… That pattern really appears like nerve endings." The bright assistant affirms, already drawing her conclusions, "So geass really affects the brain like we had suspected, but still…" There were things that didn't fit, things that their own research proved to the contrary, something Cecile had a hard time figuring why is that so.

"Hmph, how problematic. How does this relates to our situation?" Questioned the tanned Indian, poofing her pipe in reflection, "C.C managed to transfer information (if not power) through touch, presumably by the nerves endings of the arm... and yet, we tried to look on that already."

"Maybe its a hidden voltage? Some unknown neural frequency that she uses? It must be given how it can affect and change biology directly." Lloyd speculates, "If it is energy, then it has to be measurable."

"Well yes, but measured by what, Pudding? Care to give a guess?"

The trio went on in their little experiment, trying to figure what they know with what they discovered in a increasingly complex chatter, one very few could follow…

This then leaves the student council alone on their designs, shaken at the mess of it all, silently listening and seeing how their older peers react while they kept their own conclusions to this shitfess of a conundrum. Safe to say, it's beyond clear that their old friend Lelouch really lived to his title of Demon, as in, more literally than they had ever imagined.

"Okay…" Milly blinked in mix apprehension and awe, "That's a bit too dramatic..." She pointed out the minuscule thing of the scene, feeling so disturbed that she couldn't even find her cheerful nature to speak.

"Dramatic!? Lelouch just went nuts right there!" Rivalz bellows, arms flailing frantic, "I mean, I get that he was going to die and all but that's just insane! Is this what everyone is talking about? About geass and the Witch and whatever the fuck!?"

"He just ordered them to die, just like that…" Nina added, her eyes shaking in some disgust. Now, she saw for real the true cause and effect that brought him to do _that_ crime. Truly, she can't help but to hold herself in shiver.

"Hmph, at least it was worth it." Kallen spat with poison, still mad at those dead bastards, "They and everyone else deserved it for all the deaths they've caused!"

"Are you sure about that Kallen?" Someone retorted, making her glare to the one solemn face of Gino who faced her, "What about the Japanese? Or the other innocent people he manipulated? Did they also deserved that?" He confronted her, genuinely curious while pointing at the mess the Old Man had just done.

Kallen however couldn't respond, "Well, that's… that's…" He knew well what he meant…

"We just don't know about that." Milly stepped up, arms crossed in seriousness as everyone faced her, "I know this looks really tragic and regrettable but surely there is an explanation for why Lulu did it." She affirmed, acting far more mature than she herself wanted, "I don't know if it is justifiable for sure but this is what all of this is about, us learning the truth in this crazy dream..."

"..."

And in truth they all had to agree with their graduated teammate there. It is not pretty, nor it feels right, but in some unbelievable way their friend Lelouch was correct in defending himself the way he did. How wouldn't after everything he had gone through? In the end, the fallen prince from beginning to end was forced to deal with the possible deaths of his friend, as well as all the mayhem that C.C existence wrought. And through it all, Lelouch still behaved in the way they all have known him for: Brave, innocence, cautious and perhaps, hopeful.

The fact that did return a changed man who would do what he did was but a shame…

"Big brother did this for me... To return back to my side." Nunnally spoke, reasoning this for herself, "He did return to us in some way, thanks to C.C..." She affirmed, mentally going back on her previous notions of suspicion. That much the brunette girl sought to believe now, desperately trying to latch into whatever good light her brother had.

Nunnally now understood that there was no way to fix her brother back to his innocence anymore. On the contrary, she had to once again believe in him herself, believe that he had been pushed into this from little to nothing of his own volition. This did made sense given his mentality, him being a man with the right intentions since his childhood.

Her only hope now is that Lelouch truly continues this way through the remaining sessions, making use of his power only when necessary...

"(_I sure do hope too Nunnally… For our lone sake at very least._)" Suzaku reflected, silently basking in his friends newfound refuge.

So far he was feeling thoroughly conflicted from it all, gauging how the pieces the fit to create that massacre of an extermination… To that end, he figured that Clovis alone was indeed the cause for all of this, him in his forsaken ambition to learn what he couldn't. This in turn meantime that Lelouch and C.C we're partly innocent, an conclusion that felt slightly relieved to learn in his own way. Thus, it turns out that he was right after all, that Lelouch only acted because it was necessary, not out of pure malice as he once thought.

Suzaku still have his doubts about some things but he is willing to observe with a more clear mind, following what Nunnally is trying believe in the same road.

The Demon had to be a farce, a mask of lies much like the many others Lelouch had. If so, this will definitely change the perspective of many, for the better of the worse…

Until then.

_**To be Continued…**_

_Author Notes_: And so it ends my good readers. You have all caught up with my year long of writings. This unfortunately means that there will be not any consistent daily update as it once was since I literally have nothing else ready at moment (i don't even have the next chapter started). It is a shame yes but that's how life is: a complete disappointment.

Now, when to expect episode 2? Hell if I know. Maybe a week? A month? Something along those lines. I don't make promises anymore and my writing fever can occasionally die sometimes so for intents and purposes consider doing something else cause this might take a while. It's possible that for good measure I'll update supplemental dramas alongside the actual episodes just to that "filler" issue between my long updates, so don't worry.

If anything else, thank for reading and have a good day. We will see each other in some hopefully not-so-distant future.


	16. Stage 2 - The White Knight Awakens Pt1

_Yo people, here I am with three new chapters covering the second episode. I'll upload them daily at the end of the day or so. Enjoy and stay safe in with madness of chrona. Know that I've suffered deadly in these times… As in, put into a hospital deadly… Kinda hard to write when you have to consider your life..._

**Stage 2 - The White Knight Awakens (Part 1)**

Strolling over the lively streets of Tokyo, the steadfast form of Zero walks opposed to the masses around him, his black caped armor gleaming at the smiles of the crowd who, for his relief, didn't bother to give him a glance as he went on his way…

Suzaku was practically ignored while walking through his own home country, a situation that otherwise would never ever happen if it wasn't for the festival of the World's Liberation Day browling around his surroundings. This is due to the reason that he wasn't exactly the only one running around in Zero's unique outfit, far from it, since the masked hero is more of an idea than an identity one can assume the populace just embraced the glamour of being a vigilante, romantic and daring as it is be one.

Then again, the fact that they could do it without having to bear any responsibility did help in such festive holiday so there you have. The point is, no one couldn't discern which one amongst the many copycats around was the original Zero, and even if they could, the closest thing to what one could consider "original" is to still bear that one copysuit from the day Lelouch extricated himself from the Japan alongside with an entire slice of his followers in the new Special Administrative Zone of Japan.

Indeed, that day still echoes in Suzaku's mind when the madman pulled it off, a perfect manipulation of his beliefs and feelings in one life-risking plan to escape the country…

"(_Hmph… That was one hell of a gamble you did there, Lelouch..._)" Far too much for the dead hero to agree as he mentally reflected on it, specially with Britannia warmongering desires still fresh back then. And after seeing the horror of Prince Clovis actions yesterday, one could say that Suzaku could only feel disgruntled and sour.

"Tch!" To think he once believed that change could occur passively by the work of rules in a rigged game… Oh how naive he had been. Even now the caped vigilante could see just how much time he had wasted seeking to balance a unhinged Britannia in sacrifice of his people. In the end, nothing he could do would ever amount to anything valuable. He may have been acting on his morals, that's for sure, but sometimes the "lawful" choice may not be the righteous one.

And nothing proves this more than the view of the once called Shinjuku Ghetto, the one place where it all really started. His friend's reunion, his ascensions and then… the beginning of his crimes… It's impressive how far this place had gone from those days. What was once an crumbling region of dilapidated ruins now became a renovated region of residential business, with the people of Japanese doing the best they can to reform everything they had lost since the end of the War.

Britannia's retribution funds, guided by the U.F.N assistance, did well to support this effort. And given the massive engineering work invested to plug the massive hole that the F.L.E.I.J.A warhead had cast in middle of the city, Tokyo's inhabitants were glad to put their glorious culture back into view, infesting every single piece of wall surface with every single character, letter or glowing advertisement your mind can imagine to be shown on sight.

Safe to say, one can't go around without feeling the headache from seeing so many flashing colors from this rainbow-flaring lightfest…

Alas, for as much as eager his japanese kindred appeared to be, all of this joy and cheer around him only served to remind Suzaku of the price he had to pay to make it real, of how he couldn't never truly enjoy it due his virtue-induced guilt. In fact, as he reminisced through the numbing optimism of his peers, the deadman couldn't help but to latch into mourning silence of the graves, taking solace in carrying the weight of those who had fallen at his feet, be it by his hand or by those he served under.

Suzaku lingered in these seas of names, strolling over the buried corpses of fallen victims under the slabs while his mind delved into the act of honoring their passage and making their spent lives worth something. In his mind, Zero was to be more than just an guardian of justice in this new era of peace for the living. Rather, it he is also responsible for the dreams of those that came to pass, carrying forth their memories of dead forward. Yes… Just as Lelouch had done thinking of him, Suzaku now had to do the same of these countless people. It is only just he that must.

"(_...Yeah, just… As long as their deaths made sense… but with so much confusion and deception around how I'm supposed to react?_)" The vigilante questioned himself, as he stared upon one particular tombstone, one belonging to a single family of foreigners in this Japanese continent, a father and his daughter, both of which Suzaku knew of in a sense, especially the latter who was his dear friend, "(_How I'm supposed to hold faith when true innocents die in our hands? Do tell me, Lelouch… What about her? What about Shirley? Why did she had to die? Why?_)" He grimaced, unable to fathom the mystery behind her tragedy.

"..." Even as he kneels over Shirley's tombstone so that he could bask in her ethereal presence as a form of respect and communion, much like all japanese believe to be able to do, Suzaku finds himself silent in his mourning, speechless in the face of his friend's buried remains.

The words just doesn't come out. He can't seem to express himself to her in how things are better now, or how he fares after it all after she had left. In fact, somehow Suzaku deeply believes he is not in the right to stand here acting all friendly and close there, for in his mind he also had wronged her for not preventing Lelouch's fall when he could, making her death his fault.

Of course, in a way this seemed excessive for him to think so by putting the blame on his shoulders but the feeling doesn't just go away. And they won't go away any time sooner from now on…

*_beep, beep, beep_*

"...?"

*_beep, beep, beep_*

That said, before Suzaku could reflect more on his friend's tomb, the radio comms of his helmet beeps loudly for attention. It seems his ponderings must be postponed...

"**Speak.**" He tapped in.

"_Zero, we've got an situation. The European Union has sent us an confirmed id on your target._" An operator informs, leaving the vigilant wary. His target? Does he means…?, "_C.C has infiltrated two planes from London to Britannia just yesterday and is now headed for Japan at this exact moment! General Todoh have ordered our troops to intercept it._"

"**No, belay his orders, I'll pursue her myself. Send in my knightmare.**" Suzaku barks sharply.

"_Y-yes sir!_" And so, turning off, the risen vigilante glances one more time at friend's grave and closes his eyes under the mask.

"(_It's a shame I have no personal words for you now Shirley, but I promise you, I'll find the truth I'm missing._)" He vows before sharply turning around to leave, completely determined on his task to rescue and interrogate the infamous Witch. Indeed, from that moment on, no longer was he Suzaku, the naive student seeking to mourn on a lost friend. Instead, the man who left the graves there was Zero, the cold and calculating leader of the Order of the Black Knights.

And nothing would dare to step on his path this time...

* * *

…

…

…

Well then... What was he supposed to do now? What was he, the self-proclaimed Demon Emperor, supposed to react faced with this vacant scenario?

...

Lelouch had no words for it, no sharp comments, no self-derision, no smug resistance, no... drive, at all, to compel him to speak. He just stared at this long display of "slice-of-life" that went on until the massacre of Shinjuku started, where he was left silently appalled at his brother's true motivations and the extend of his conviction to make his mistakes "disappear"...

"(_Heh… Who knew? My brother was plotting outside father's purview…_)" Lelouch blinked as he learned this, fitting his memories and knowledge in, "(_But was he doing it for himself or for someone else?_)" That was the question the fallen Emperor wondered. For all the he knew, V.V may have long planning to secure some other leverage to topple Charles on the way. It wouldn't be much of an stretch given what that vile immortal had done...

Beyond this, trying to play hero, reuniting that with idiot Suzaku, fleeing with C.C… These things didn't faze Lelouch in the slightest. Much of what he believed and felt had been addressed already, meaning that his spoken opinions are meaningless. He would like to rest quiet on this notion here but it's not like he had any choice on the matter. Just the fact that he sought for the silence alone was enough to stir the divine presence before him to speak…

"**Hmm, I find your lack of reaction... disturbing.**" The Judge commented.

Which makes Lelouch snort, "You control my emotions and expect me to cooperate?" He responds, facing naught but the discomfort out of her stare, "Tch… You're sure becoming insufferable as this goes on."

"**You are not helping yourself by acting like that, Accursed One. Both of us are not here out of own will, as you well know.**" The woman retorts, strangely expressing her pity, "**I do have to say however that your patience and resolve was broken far quicker than I would have thought. Quite unfitting for one who calls himself a Demon.**"

"Hmph, and what exactly you think of me, if I might ask? What do _they_ think of me in all of this? Surely there's nothing else to go on after seeing this?" Lelouch inquires, referring to the Jury's intentions with the truth displayed. If they wanted proof of him gaining and using the forsaken power then there they have it. Hell, he even used in such villainous fashion by ordering those cursed officers to kill themselves. Granted, they were not any saints after doing what they did but still… If virtue and innocence is determined under the constraints preached by many known religions of the world, then just his act of compelling suicide through overwhelming control should be damning enough for a sinful act.

"**Those are not simple questions one can answer. The trial has many layers of judgement upon it, all of which cannot be disregarded. My opinion of you is irrelevant, for I'm but a humble judge.**" The woman had spoken, appearing passive in her tone this time, "**The way I address you may be heavy and condescending yes, but there's intent behind it, a prodding to clarify what you yourself had felt as the memories go.**" She affirmed, almost making Lelouch snort again.

"..." Yet, in a way he couldn't find the will to do so. Rather, he felt quite insecure against such honesty.

"**As for the Jury… You should be more hopeful. The depth of your deeds is more known in private than you've wanted them to believe. Your tale sparks curiosity after all. You have earned much from the benefit of doubt, so perhaps you should make use of it.**" Added the being answering his questions.

"…"

Regardless however, none of that served in any way to assure him of what to expect. Those words now just confirm that his facade of the Demon Emperor was collapsing right before his eyes, washing down all his driven plans down the drain. This is getting to the point that Lelouch doesn't quite know how to react or how to behave otherwise. Part of him want him to stop this trial before the truth spreads in whatever reality this jury lays about but that's just impossible for him to do in this powerless state.

"Why?" He wondered, once more falling back to the repeated through relevance he faced before. Why bother with all of this? Why do they care?

And looking at him, the Judge seemed to listen and answer, "**They are uncertain of what is shown and doubt had found a way in their hearts… And that alone might be enough for your innocence to be proven, something that may or may not happen regardless of your wishes.**"

"...In that case, what am I supposed to do? Stay here and just watch until the day my redemption or doom comes?"

At his inquiry, the woman then smiled, "**We will see.**"

"..." Thus, faced with this typical response, Lelouch sighed to himself. Truly, the Fallen Emperor found himself trapped in a dilemma here. The reactions of the so called jury… This was something he can't process in his heart. In fact, if he could ask them something, it would be: How do you feel? Comprehension? Disgust? Vindication? Lelouch felt dejected keen to know. Yet with a proper response all the he could get from this mess is a lurking desire of growing curiosity stalking at the edges of his mind, wondering, thinking, figuring. It all just makes his senses stop, leaving his conscience in this limbo of anxiety amidst the silence.

"**No plan survives contact with the enemy... You know this more than anyone else, Accursed One.**" The Judge spoke, drawing his attention once more, "**Even as your greatest schemes unfold, you still stumble through obstacles that couldn't be planned for. And even with power of geass down in your hands, your ego continues to blind you from the incoming defeat...**"

* * *

Alas, if it wasn't for the massive weight of curiosity crushing whatever reluctant atmosphere that seemed to carry over in the Court itself this night, the Jury would be drown in cold fear as see the fading stage of the last session on arrival. Yes, It's not easy to stand still when you're met with that single purple eye of a glowing geass staring down at your very soul the moment you become aware...

It is quite the haunting and overwhelming presence, as if you could feel the Demon influence flowing alive even though he remained eerily frozen. Even now, after all these sessions, the degree of realism present in these dream illusion seemed to scar the memory of those that witness it, making it so that they never forget what they have been bound to see. Then again, perhaps that was the intent from the start… To show the Jury what they shouldn't forget, ever.

"Oh, pretty..." Silently echoed the voice of Anya, staring with a mix of awe and apprehension combined. Though terrifying in concept, that glowing sigil that identifies the presence of geass is beautiful to see all things considered. Plus, it contrasts with Lelouch's own amethyst eyes.

"…" At her side though, an perplexed maid reflected, staring at the face of her deceased master grinning in his villany. Certainly, after yesterday's reveal, it is hard to blame the fallen Emperor for his lapse into madness. When pushed to a corner, one must act quickly, stripping all reason and thought for the sake of an reaction no matter how senseless it may be. Hesitation means death after all, an wisdom Sayoko carries to this day as taught to her by her former ninja master.

The way that Britannian Officer and his men died by their own hands under control of a mystical power may seem illogical and excessive in all the drama but it fit the scene, showing how inevitable it was. Master Lelouch did what he had to do, something any soul would have done after enduring his struggle. Now, despite this, Sayoko couldn't help but to do indulge in pity knowing how much such power would have cost her young master from that moment on. The past was strict and she accept that, yet the thought of an alternative, of an change that she could have done to assist him, these were things that ever she silently reflected upon as servant.

"...All debts must be paid in blood… As it should be." Jeremiah commented to himself, looking weary at the face of the scene. From his point of view, His Majesty Power was certainly elegant in its power, but it was in no way as clean as he would believe. It is like that blade of executioner, dirty and smeared in blood as it cleaves guilty and the dishonorable. The one who wields it must be very careful when using it, always making sure that the blade must be kept blooded while your hands remain clean.

But that's easier said than done, of course.

There is a reason why Lelouch would come to disdain his own power regardless of how useful it was, for with each use to mislead and dominate his victims, something else was lost in response, something dear… which is why the Orange Cyborg vouched to stand by His Majesty's will when the time came for them to get rid of it, an task that to this day he apparently failed to do so...

And now, looking at the maddened expression of his Emperor in his earlier times, drunk in the power he now wielded, how bad things must go before his mind would change? How much more he would suffer from there? The knight frowns thinking on it. This may have been his plan all along of course, to have the Jury witness his darkness all in full horror, yes, but even so, part of him wanted nothing more to scream in favor of his lord, to herald his honorable wishes in some way or form, all to paint both his master and himself clean…

It is a guilty desire the Knight of Orange held, straining himself shut as the stage went on it's way to start...

"**Alive the Demon became, alive became the bane of Britannia and of the world in whole... Truly, with the power the Accursed now wears, none but the most brave could ever attempt to stop him.**" The judge declared with vigor and dread, painting the surroundings with the devastation of the ghetto shadowed by a ghastly visage of Lelouch puppeting hand, as if to pass the image of his complete dominance of the land whilst the left eye glows with geass from the shadows, "**And amidst the bloodshed that had occurred, only one rose up to the task…**"

Then, as she glanced over the entire jury only to pause over the visage of Zero, her steadily rising smile cast only cold on his nerves.

"**If only the Accursed could see the irony of his acts, of who he would fight in the battlefields ahead, surely his mind would have turned… But as fate had decreed, he was to be drowned in his newfound power, destined to meet and face this grand obstacle, this one challenger, until the end of his life...**"

* * *

**Stage 2 - The White Knight Awakens**

Thus, on the wake of her introduction, far from the mayhem of Lelouch's madness on that warehouse, the Jury is brought back into the view of a familiar setting: The crowded gardens of Ashford Academy out in the open, filling with the many uniformed students going on about their affairs in current recess. And among these many groups, they are drawn into the presence of familiar faces, three of them, that stood together there, both now in the dreaming moment of the present and as illusory figures of a distance past...

Indeed, to the select individuals of the Court, it was easy to recognize the two once-students that lay among them, having long seen them through past sessions of memories. Milly and Nina were clearly seen sitting together to enjoy their lunch. However, this one third individual, a young teenager girl with bright orange hair so long that it reaches her hips, she was a strange unknown to most, recognized only by the few who now expressed naught but a somber stare of sorrow upon seeing her presence.

Or who shared an sad yet painful tale through history...

"There you are, Shirley~" Young Milly greeted her with the usual smile, tilting her head ever so slightly in a forming question, "Where's Lelouch?"

"He went somewhere with Rivalz." The innocent girl answered, taking her place among them, pink lunch box within her hands.

"Oh… Is it poker again?"

Taking a bite of her food, the joy of it's good taste would last for a second in her mouth before Shirley frowned on the topic, "I don't know, maybe?" She retorted, only to see her friend's knowing smile in silent response, "Hmph! They always seem to forget that they're on the student council. Always fooling around gambling with money!" She complained next, making her feelings shown, "Lulu may be smart, yet he wastes his brain on stupid things! If only he focused his studies more then his grades would be better!" She boasted.

Such warm reaction, acting like a worried mother in her eyes. It just made Milly smirk, "My, look at you: _I wish my darling Lulu would be a serious young man_~ That's so adorable!" She teased openly.

And blinking at her insinuation, Shirley pouted sheepishly, "Pres, please..." Unable to stop her friend from laughing at her face.

Too bad there's nothing she could do about it. This is Milly she's dealing with, ever cheerful and upfront with her confidence. She can't help but go on making fun of her crush whenever possible... Still, Shirley would prefer that she paid mind to her worries a little more, maybe help her try nudge Lulu away from trouble. He has a bright future after all, one where he would take care of her- erm, HIS, sister one day! Yes, of course, take care of his sister and all of that...

"(_Urgh…_)"

* * *

"Damn..." Rivalz whispered with a subdued tone unable to hold his feeling there. Just seeing Shirley's face, remembering their times together with joy, her quirks and acts, right before the end... It left quite the uncomfortable feeling to bear.

"God, she really does looks so bright and adorable." An older Milly reacted with a restrained frown. She too felt the hurt there, "How… How come she just… gave up?" She questioned, recalling what came out Shirley's apparent demise.

"_Suicide..._" It certainly feels too unreal as Nina whispered in, her face branded by an open scowl with her growing thoughts of speculation. Truly, in her gearing mind, suicide can be… _interpreted_, in many different meanings, none of which that sounded good to delve upon, specially if Lelouch is involved. Then again, having the clear confirmation of his powers, of the supernatural proof of its existence, this casts everything they had known about him in doubt, for better and for worse.

Shirley's death was also a matter great question for the battered student council who tried to keep an open mind about the Lelouch's involvement on things. And given how there were quite the extensive excuses as to why he practically freaked out and went nuts, chances are the he might have done something on this… After all, what could they even think of it?

Kallen does remember when Suzaku told her about it, informing the forensics around it and confirming Lelouch's innocence while still suspecting and accusing him of the deed. Frankly, even now the red ace has a hard time believing either case to be the truth. What manner situation could possibly justify her lover having to kill one of his most innocent friends? Hell, Shirley wasn't even involved in anything! Did she saw something she shouldn't? Did she found herself in the wrong place in the wrong time? If so, why not just make her forget about it using his geass? Or if he can't, try make her promise something, anything, to keep his secret down? Surely, Lelouch wouldn't resort to something as drastic as killing her, would he?

"(_Urgh… I don't know and I can't deny it either! _)" Kallen argued, unable to excuse the possibility in her frustration. After all, the man she loves was clearly driven on his purpose, justifiably so, given his obsession. And she even vouched him for doing it, thinking it was only fair to make his convictions worth so he can at least pay for his constant mistakes...

"..." As such, looking at the caped vigilante, the red ace cursed herself for not questioning Lelouch when she could about the truth. Instead, she, much like Suzaku and possibly everyone else here, they all just took Shirley's tragedy for granted, believing it to be a fate that was unavoidable for some unmentioned reason.

In short, this was a mistake they now had to choke on in the end, hoping it may be unveiled in the future sessions.

...

"(..._Poor girl, betrayed by the man she loved._)" Another soul reflected, blind to both the irony and truth behind her thought just now. Indeed, Villeta Nu was both considerate and unsure of what to feel seeing the face of the girl that put her where she is. On one way, she can't help but to blame and admonish Shirley for almost killing her down with that shot. The scar around her left side of her stomach still remained as a mark even with Britannia's advanced medicine. Yet, at same time, it was because of that same shot caused by her that fate led Villetta to meet her current husband.

Thus, Villetta had to acknowledge it… Its is thanks to Shirley that he life had changed for the better. It's only fair then that she has to be well respected for it...

The only question now however is what exactly happened in truth? What end Shirley had truly come across? Such were the worries of some among the Jury, looking for some conclusion here...

* * *

And they weren't the only ones left anxious at it… Time would pass by the end of recess and Lelouch was nowhere to be seen, something that worried Shirley slightly. Rivalz had barely made it mid class and according to him, Lulu went to make an altruistic act to save whoever had almost crashed on them over the highway, leaving him behind with a lot of dust and a broken motorbike.

Why Lelouch went missing after the truck left in a hurry (out of the crash mind you) the blue boy couldn't explain how. Rivalz did go search him around the premises but left as soon as the police showed up. Thankfully there was no mention of any arrest or kidnapping yet but that did nothing to dissolve Shirley's worries of something happening. Her crush didn't pick up on her calls and he apparently didn't bother to call back either, all due it being out of signal range. And while Milly did try to keep her and the remaining council members calm about it, the lack of news did linger on her bad mood regardless.

As such, by the time morning had ended to give room for club activities, the only clue Shirley had of Lelouch doings was an recent message of an call she failed to pick up way earlier, something that did quite confuse her a bit considering she didn't put it on silence all the time. How did that happen then? Was it the lack of signal again or something? Hmm… Pondering in a bit of doubt, she figured it's easier to try make a call again and see if he would answer now...

"..."

"..."

"...!" However, for all of her hope, what she gotten in response was naught but dead air right then and there…. and he did answer it, just before shutting it down on her ear.

"Huh?" Blinking in a deadpan, It took Shirley a second to react, "That jerk! He hung up on me!?" She shouted furiously after hearing the cancelled beeps. All that worry and he does something like that!? No, she is not going to leave him so easily!

From there, Shirley would then try to call Lelouch as many times as she could in the next minutes, all in the vain attempt of interrupting whatever_ most-certainly-illicit_ business he had going on out there… But, wrapped in a mess she couldn't possibly imagine or comprehend, the newborn Demon had his attentions way too occupied to bother turning his phone on again, so this would only waste her time.

Not that this mattered at all now, for the Jury could clearly see how the scenes fit in the scenario, glimpsing exactly Shirley had accomplished right there, as in, having almost killed her friend with a single phone call in the worst possible time one can think off.

Indeed, she is the cause behind Lelouch getting caught by Clovis Royal Guard on his way to safety. It was just this, an mere work of accident, thrown amidst the slaughter of the Shinjuku Ghetto, as if to trap Lelouch into his new fate of apotheosis under something no one could have predicted...

Such coincidences are too wonderful to be ignored.

* * *

"Wow… Talk about bad timing." Gino commented, resisting the urge to whistle.

"Yeah." Nodded Rivalz with bad taste in mouth, "Guess I'm not the only one who _accidentally, ACCIDENTALLY_, screwed things up with Lelouch." He added, half joking on the spot, half denigrating himself.

"Hmm… I guess that leaves me and Nina clean then." Milly played along, just to try cheer up from her dark thoughts.

"Er, I don't know… You really made our lives hard with your crazy schemes, _Pres_. I'm sure you did your part somewhere shit things up as well." The blue waiter countered in sarcastic sass.

"..." That said however, neither of the two did notice Nina fidgeting quietly on her spot nearby. Either the thought didn't came on their minds or they sought to avoid comment on it, the little miss scientist kept her mouth shut while recalling her own greater mishaps through Lelouch's life. One glance at Zero's visage at her side and many things come into mind… She may not know how earlier she contributed to Lelouch's madness but her part was certain in a way.

As for Kallen… well, her involvement was more than inevitable. She knows very well where she had fallen with Lelouch in her actions...

"We are all part of big brother's change." Nunnally spoke up, joining her friends, "We all have done something unwillingly to push him to his mistakes… But even so, It's better that we accept this and forgive ourselves now before end up just hurting one another." She wisely proposed, smiling sad as the others considered, "Big Brother wouldn't want this to us."

"..." And nodding in hesitant agreement, the little student council simply reflected among themselves, trying to focus back on the illusion at hand. It's was easier said than done however, for the little circle of youngsters there couldn't get their heads out of how intricate the reality around Lelouch had been, or how bad things had gotten in full.

Suzaku knew this well as he mentally disagreed with his protegee right there, grimacing on his own, "(_That's too much of an endeavor for me accept, Nunnally… It is not so easy when actual blood stains one's hands..._)", and looking at his own, "(_Mine has far too much in them for me to pursue forgiveness..._)"

If anything, he had to move on with what he had planned to live on… as in, only through a mask. That's his last option now..

* * *

Thus, silently sympathizing to Suzaku's predicament, the Court was then brought back to the scenery of importance, back in the fated warehouse of Lelouch's ascension…

There, amidst the bleeding corpses of soldiers, civilians and children alike, the Demon was shown kneeling down to inspect the fallen body of the witch who somehow had granted him his power. Lelouch was sollem to her dead state, trying to contemplate once more how or what this one mysterious girl fits to whole mayhem that now surrounds him.

"I don't understand..." He whispers, talking to her silent being in vain, "What is it you wanted me to do? Why did you give me this bizarre power?" These are answers he wanted know now that he recalls the demands of the so called _contract_. It certainly added another layer of the occult to the matter, that's for sure…

...

...

...

***BOOM**!*

"...!?" Alas, lost by whatever secret he failed to uncover on the witch's body, Lelouch was immediately startled as an explosion rocked across the nearby walls of the warehouse. Smoke and debris filled the entire room as a giant mechanical being invaded inside soon after, one he quickly recognized in the shape of the Sutherland Knightmare Frame that scanned the entire premises with factsphere, leaving naught but seconds before it's pilot perceived Lelouch standing there, him being essentially the only being alive.

As such, shocked by this revelation, the pilot, who happens to be the one and only Villetta Nu in her fashionably gilded knightmare uniform, frowned the dreaded scenery of fallen comrades on the ground, "_...Why are the royal guard dead?_" She questioned, staring at the face of this lone young man on her visor screen right before interrogating him, "**What happened here, boy? And what's a britannian student doing in place like this?**" She demanded over the hailer.

"..." Now, in Lelouch's mind this was quite the unwanted situation, not critical per se, but still unwanted. What can he do exactly? Hmm...

The boy's silence remained, his face kept quite unfazed by her authoritarian intimidation, something that did unnerve Villeta, "**Are you deaf!? Answer me or I'll sentence you to death!**" She threatened, even going as far as to shoot her giant machine gun deadly meters around the boy's body, punching torso-sized holes on the wall behind as to frighten the suppose civilian.

"Tch..." However, Lelouch mentally scowled in response, keeping a nonchalant reaction to this rather excessive response. It seems this woman is quite in a hurry. In that case then… "[I order you to come out at once!]" He delivered it, mystical eye glowing in power as to assail her.

"..."

"..."

"..." This earned him some seconds of delay, with the pilot pondering with a frown before answering, "**Who the hell you think you are to order me?**" With quite the defiance on the tone. Hell, while annoyed to be ignored as a threat, Villeta had to admit this boy had some balls to be this bold to stand unfazed and unarmed against an Knightmare.

Yet, though none the wiser, Lelouch did hear her response, contemplating forth her reaction, "(_I see. It only works with direct eye contact._)" He reflected, already imagining that this impressive power had its limitations in some form. Nothing is absolute after all. Alas, his dire situation remains and he had to work around it with his former backup plan, "My name is Alan Spacer. My father is a duke. My I.D card's in my breast pocket. After you confirm my identity, I'll request your protection." He worded it out, pulling an document out of his shirt pocket.

"..."

Safe to say, the former Prince is always prepared. Years of fearing a possible discovery from the royal family fermented an paranoia big enough that it forced Lelouch to walk around with a forged identity for the occasion. One cannot go around gaining fame as an unbeatable gambler in the underworld without raising some eyebrows and he sure went through a few hard moments where it needed its uses. Thus, though faced with the military, this would most certainly serve as the good distraction here since no true britannian wants to get in the wrong foot with a member of nobility.

In fact, he already can imagine the pilot's response to his false revelation.

"_A duke, here?_" Villetta Nu was certainly stunned by this. As a member of the purist faction who goes miles ahead to ensure Britannian supremacy, she can't afford to just doubt and judge him on spot. It was too much of risk to their name even if they blame it on the elevens. Thus, with a quick decision, she choose to comply, opening her cockpit and priming her gun for an inspection, "Keep your hands up in the air. I'll take your I.D." She boasted in a demand, stepping down on the ground from the ladder.

...Which is exactly what Lelouch wanted, "[Now then, hand over your Knightmare to me.]" He ordered forth, words laced with etheral dominance.

There's was no resistance this time. Villetta didn't even react as a red wave of supernatural power flashed right into her eyes, his command compelling her mind to obey and point the gun away, "[Understood. it's code number is XG2IG2D4.]" She replied in a more passive tone, bereft of any cautiousness. She just told him what he needed and threw the machine's key into his direction.

"Got it..." Satisfied with the results, Lelouch then simply left, leaving the entranced soldier on her frozen spot alone. He did go quickly though, just in case the woman actually recovered any semblance of her identity back again.

That said, he could just kill her and spare himself any future trouble in the sequence if he wanted but there's still so many unknowns to his powers yet to be uncovered that he would rather try gauging it first than playing it safe. It's not really his personality to do so, but he was feeling bold enough to try it...

Moreover, in the possibility of her memory still remaining intact after this, Lelouch considered testing how effective his forged identity is once she inevitably recovers. It would be a risk for sure given where she would go to find him in the Academy but he already had an planned script to follow. After all, she can only blame herself for just giving her knightmare key to him that easily, right? She was just being considerate to a duke's son, right? Oh, and the glowing eye thing? What glowing eye? My my, this soldier must have been stressed by dead bodies of the famed royal guard and is now seeing things...

"Heh." Truly, Lelouch had many ways to play her for a fiddle should it be the case. Even if his little ploy didn't work then his new power would enter in and make her do anything he ever wanted. All advantages are on his hand here so instead of just picking the safest option of killing her, he had to try and test his other options as well. This way, if all goes well, then he will at least have an confirmation that his forger was trustworthy enough for him to work with further illicit businesses...

"(_...All to keep Nunnally safe and hidden..._)" He concluded, smirking.

From there, all the Jury saw was the Demon Prince going away, driving upon his newly stolen knightmare... And Villetta Nu? Well... By the time she recovered control of her consciousness, only confusion remained, an reality that Lelouch was unaware of, but still hoped for, at time.

"...? What a-? What did I…!?" As such, the poor soldier could only stay disoriented as she turned around to the vacated warehouse and notice was she just had lost. Indeed, never she could imagine the calamity that would follow in the hours ahead from this very one moment...

* * *

Gasping a breath, future Villetta nearly collapsed on her feet after seeing the effects of the Demon's influence upon her past self there. As a former soldier, rarely she would just crumble in such sudden bout of weakness and anxiety. Yet even then, just imagining what Lelouch could have done to her right there, from killing her cold on spot to maybe even worse things that the mind of an young, growing monster of a genius teenager could think off… To say she was distraught is quite the understatement.

"Dammit it, that cursed boy!" Villetta sprout out, grinding the teeth, "Such insane mind control..." Too quick, too effective, too devious. To think that such power was so intuitive as to understand the Prince's intentions and just make her give him the knightmare's access codes... This is too much of a frightening prospect. For the merest moment there, she was just his slave there… Someone that could be easily exploited and abused in all sense.

"It's okay, love. Calm down..." Ohgi assured her close in a hug.

"Eye contact huh... Interesting." Xingke commented, quite amused to learn the nature of their greatest threat, "An clear confirmation of weakness. So we really are going to see the true extent of geass, from its mechanics to its limitations." The chinese General certainly could see the potential in that.

"Hmph, so far the downside pales in comparison to the benefits." Todoh argued, frowning in the conclusion of what they saw, "Near instantaneous effect; absolute domination, and if I'm correct on this, memory impairment… Against Lelouch, anyone would still have extreme disadvantage in a confrontation." He suggested, glancing at the tanned britannian.

All eyes following him and Villetta Nu flinched slightly as she crossed her arms in a nod, "Yes… I barely remember this event at all. It's like there's a gap in my mind, very fuzzy and blurred."

"..." Though sympathetic to her, Ohgi also could help but to be curious about something, "Can I ask what were you doing there though? You just appeared alone without any support. Why? Was it a order from the Prince?"

Blinking, the former soldier pondered shortly, "No, that was my superior at time." She affirmed, facing none other than the Knight of Orange that stood far off in distance, "Jeremiah wanted us from the Purist faction to be upfront in assuring the Prince's goals, so he had me to track down the royal guard to see if I could help in their objectives, if not complete them by myself. Doing so would then boost our favor in the Prince's eyes and gain ourselves even more of his trust."

"Oh..."

"Hmm, thinking on it that's quite forward for him to order you such daring thing." Xingke complemented, "This certainly explains why Jeremiah was so keen to disobey the General's commands on the spot back then. He was a distraction on the field..."

"Hmph! That still doesn't excuse his despicable eagerness in slaughtering our kind." Chiba spat as she scowled in anger against the cyborg man she considered a scum, "I can't wait to see him executed for it one day."

And against that bout, Jeremiah merely smiled, "Heh, I would like to see you try, young lady..." He taunted forth, pushing on with his image of villainy, just like his master intended of him. Then again, they would still have to find where he was hidden in the overworld first to make it happen, something they don't have the time to bother.

Or at least they don't, as long as he continues working against whatever madness this Court is about...

"_Tch, honorless coward..._" The holy swordswoman cursed. For all intents and purposes, the orange knight was naught but a low priority.

"Nevertheless, I don't think his ploy would have worked anyway." Spoke Guilford, making his own opinion heard, "Seeing how the royal guard had orders to execute anyone who even as much glanced at the witch, I doubt that miss Nu or the purist faction would have came out unscathed after confronting this. C.C's existence was a state secret and Prince Clovis was no longer taking any chances while his inheritance was at risk. One way or another this could have gone real bad for both of them."

"..." Faced with this argument, the thoughts thrown left and right didn't seem sprout any retort, leaving the Jury silent.

That is, until Kaguya opened up, "So you're saying that Lelouch did just… save her in the end?" She suggested, grinning brightly as she knew the teasing implications, "Ha! Isn't that a good thing?~"

"..." Yet, realising her obvious intentions, the Crowd sought to ignore that particular headache. No one seemed to delve in this gray morality here, be it intentional or not…

* * *

Alas, resuming the session, the scenery moves on to bring the Jury out from the warehouse all the way back into the Britannia's center of command around the Prince's land-cruiser, which happens to take a position the fringes of the city's ghetto, escorted and protected by squadrons of Sutherland knightmares, field artillery tanks and the standard foot infantry. This makeshift forward base, filled and sustained with several supply vehicles, supplanted all of the advancing forces ahead in the battle, providing everything from ammo, reinforcements and medical attention all at once.

And it's here, inside one of the many mobile support units, that Jury was brought to oversee, watching as it's walls phased out to reveal the bleeding form of Suzaku being recently patched out and cleaned from his wounds, bandaged shirtless on the mat.

Up to this point, the honorary soldier had been left in a dazed state, barely conscious from the treatment he had just received. There was chatter outside the vehicle from where he stood but he didn't bother to pay attention to who was coming, prefering to succumb himself into the drowsy feeling blurring his eyes.

That said, his desire to sleep would however be unfortunately disturbed by the presence of two souls getting in, those he could barely make out their distinct appearances being clad in different uniforms of white and orange rather than the usual black designs of common rank. They didn't appear to be neither soldiers or medics of any kind though which is a oddity.

"My, having a bad day, aren't we?" The man in white boasted first, his tone loud and clear as he leaned close in Suzaku's direction. This certainly startled the honorary soldier there, forcing his eyes to focus back up, "Looks like you missed a chance to go to heaven, Private Kururugi." The man continued to address him, friendly yet sarcastic.

Following protocol, Suzaku did try to lean up and maybe salute, only to recoil in pain as his bandages tightened, "Ow…" Yet, fully awakened, he could now see his surroundings and ponder in the confusion, "Where.. Where am I?"

"Hm? Ah, we're still in the Shinjuku Ghetto. You just have been recovered from the tunnels below." The man in white answered, making the soldier's eyes go wide in tension for a second, "Don't worry, the fighting is far away from here. You're safe." He assured the panicking soldier.

"With Prince Clovis nearby, this is probably the safest place there is." Added the woman in orange nearby with a gentle tone.

"Right…" Suzaku then relaxed, reigning briefly on his circumstances before recalling something desperate. The tunnels! The royal guard! Lelouch! All the situation he went through earlier sparked right back into the soldier's mind as he recalled the outcome, "H-how? How did I… I… …I was shot…." The young man muttered in a bit of shock, muddled by pain that served as proof.

"Ah yes, we're told it was quite grievous wound. However…" The woman in orange went on to grab something nearby with a handkerchief and present him, "This is what saved your life, Mr. Suzaku." She explained, revealing what appears to be a pocket watch of black casing, one that he quickly recognized.

"You're lucky it was under your protective suit because that's what deflected the bullet." Affirmed the man in white as Suzaku received it.

"..." Looking closer, he could see where it was sharply damaged. It's glass face was shattered on the right side, with the small markings of the hour numbers in roman left deformed by the shoot's impact.

"...Is it a keepsake?" Seeing his silent inspection, the woman couldn't help but to wonder.

"Yeah. Very..." Suzaku replied with a solemn tone. They wouldn't know it but this was ironic of him. This one pocket watch, a memento of past times, of sad times, coming back to save his life without him even thinking of it. Considering where he picked up from, and from whom it belonged, Suzaku was left quite uncertain of what to think in this strange coincidence...

"You Elevens believe that gods live inside of everything, even objects, don't you? I guess this one is another-"

"-Is Lelou-" Alas, ignoring the small talk, the honorary soldier was about to ask of the fate of his old friend before cutting his tongue there, "What's the latest on the situation?" Thinking quickly, he rephrased the question on the last note as to avoid sounding strange (and more likely, prevent any trouble). In respect of Lelouch's wishes, as well as nearing in the hopes of him being alive, Suzaku couldn't just spill out his name like that.

Now, either the man in white noticed this or not, he didn't show, "It looks like the poison gas was released. Massive Eleven casualties have been reported."

"They haven't caught the perpetrators yet." Added the woman companion.

"I see. Not yet huh…"

Of course, of course they haven't… Suzaku wasn't that much of a bullhead to miss the discrepancies here. There was no poison gas. That much is sure, given what he had saw. All the mess with the strange girl, the lies told on his mission briefing, and the excessive response of the royal guard… Truly, the implications are clear. They haven't caught the perpetrators yet because they don't need to. Chances are the Prince is letting the misinformation play out a little longer while he secures his prize objective, whatever that is.

In any case, thinking on the worse scenario, it's highly possible that Lelouch is dea-

"...Now Private Kururugi, I assume you have your officers to answer to, right?" The man in white asked, interrupting Suzaku's dark thoughts right there. The soldier could then only blink once and twice before nodding shortly, "Well, then I have ask it: How much experience do you have in piloting a Knightmare frame?"

"Uhm, none?" The soldier answered honestly, a bit confused at the question, "The army doesn't offer any training of sort to us Honorary Britannians. There's no way an Eleven would be made a knight after all." He affirmed.

"Hm, what if I said you could?" The man retorted, showing what appears to be a fancy golden key in his hands.

"...!" Indeed, Suzaku knew exactly what that is, having seen it many times in the hands of certain superiors (although with a clearly different purple colored shape). This is truly shocking. He, a mere honorary britannian, piloting a war machine meant only for proper britannian knights? Just what kind of offer is this? Could it be a trap? Or is it legit? Who is this man and what he's offering?

"Well?"

"I-I don't have any experience." The soldier recoiled, extremely unsure of what's going on here.

"Ha! Don't worry, that can easily fixed on the way~" The man proposed earnest, something that sounded really scary for the japanese.

Luckily (or not), the woman assistant on his side had a bit more of an tact to his fearful reaction, so she had a better approach, "All he's offering you is a chance, Mr. Suzaku. We'll simply work a simulation of sorts to see if you have any talent we could use. With some luck and his approval, you will end up joining our ranks in the Engineering Corps, serving as perhaps the first honorary britannian to pilot a knightmare in Area Eleven." She explained, expressing everything in such friendly manner.

"The first honorary pilot..." This did quite the job to slowly ease Suzaku there. Quite, given what his real intention in the britannian army is, this is a undeniable opportunity…

"Come on now, don't you want to get back at those terrorist that put you here? Don't want to bring swift victory for the Prince? With this, you can do it..." The man in white urged in persuasion, key dancing on his fingers, "If you don't accept it, I have many more soldiers elsewhere who would like to try it out."

Faced with this choice, Suzaku eventually felt inspired, "Fine, I'll do it." He affirmed, not for the words that man spilled out though, but rather convinced by what the woman suggested in him becoming a rising star among the honorary britannians.

Maybe this way the pain and suffering of his people will finally stop...

"Hah! Congratulations then! The only Knightmare of its kind awaits you!" The allegedly mad scientist suddenly flared in his acceptance, going as far as to pull the flinching soldier up to his feet regardless of the pain, "Once you take the controls of my creation everything will change, you and your world."

"Whether you want it to or not." The woman in orange ominously concludes with a bit of worry.

"(..._Change huh..._)" Thus, assisted by both Lloyd and Cecile (as he would learn their names), Suzaku was directed to his next office, righting on the post that will forever set his life, making it so the first step into what will create Lelouch's, and by extension, Zero's, first nightmare.

Yes, the Jury could see it: The White Knight Awakens indeed.

* * *

"Really? No experience? Nah… That can't be possible…" Gino questioned it, seeing exactly what would lead Suzaku to pilot the ever famous Lancelot. That sounded a bit too contrived for him even with history carrying true records as proof.

"Hehe, you would be shocked, Sir Knight. Suzaku's talent is-was the real thing." Lloyd spoke up with an certain admiration branding his face, "Some people are just born as geniuses. Out of every other devicer I had, few ever managed to pilot my magnificent creation to such extent as he did." He added in praise.

Even Cecile at his side seemed to vouch these words, "It was definitely a surprise for us though. With our actual official pilot out in the battlefield, our only hope was to find some temporary replacement among the leftover reserves. Never did we expect to find such catch right then and there."

"...And so the temporary replacement became a permanent addition…" Rakshata intruded, pooling smoke out her illusory dream body as a refreshment, "...Heh, aren't you the lucky one, Pudding?"

To that, Lloyd flinched ever so slightly at that P-name...

"Great, so even Suzaku was a badass before I've met him… _Why can't I have some cool skill to join the story as well?_" Rivalz complained, mumbling to himself as he felt small under such praises about his crazy yet dead friend.

"Hmph, I have to say though, it's strange seeing you two offering such big thing to an japanese." Kallen commented with an raised eyebrow to the scientists, "Not to judge or imply anything but, could you really have done that? Taking in an _eleven_ of all people to pilot your experimental creation? Did every other applicant fail on the performance test for you to start accepting _Honorary Britannians_?" She asked, carrying every little spice in her implied words there, just blatantly hunting for prejudice and discrimination.

And truth to be said, Suzaku was correct about his kind not being taught about Knightmare combat. Such thing was unthinkable for Britannia to consider, specially in an Area proven so unruly back in time. No wonder the red ace had an hard impression to what expect from them...

"W-Wha- Why we never-!" As such, faced with unofficial accusation, Cecile felt offended. She would try speak her mind there before Lloyd intervened with a sway of his hand.

"Well, to answer your questions dear: Yes, I technically could." He affirmed, without any hint of emotion other than his approachable smirk, "While our unit was outside the chain of command as just a complementary support unit, I did have the authority to take in and command any soldier to serve my needs, even if it is for duties outside their ranking or office. Only the General could say otherwise about this so yes, any private, including Honorary Britannians, could be taken to pilot my machine." He affirmed, speaking all the intricacies around the subject with unfazed tone before leaning forward towards Kallen, "Now, as for anyone being worthy… Ha! I just don't care! Any person or individual is just the same for me, nothing cogs to serve my machine. Their origins and opinions are but the second, if not the last, of my priorities."

"..."

"..." Thus, hearing that kind of response, both Kallen and Cecile didn't know if they should feel impressed or disturbed by Lloyd's stance on this matter. In fact, the red ace could only blink and stare uncomfortably while the assistant facepalmed, shaking her head in a resigned agreement. Perhaps that's all they should expect from an sociopathic man, not that Kallen know about his manners however…

"**...**" Underneath the brooding mask of Zero though, Suzaku did have a smile on his face. In a way, he could see through Lloyd deep enough to understand that the madman cared about him. This scientist is as honest as he can be after all, which is soothing.

Alas, confusions and comforts aside, the remaining Jury had stronger intentions in seeing the outcome of this session than bothering to join in the small chatter. Now that Suzaku was on his way to possibly face Lelouch as written in history, they all wanted to know in deep what other little things influenced on the way. What more secrets did the Demon carry as well as who would be his next geass victim.

They cannot wait.

...

...

...

_**To be Continued…**_


	17. Stage 2 - The White Knight Awakens Pt2

**Stage 2 - The White Knight Awakens (Part 2)**

Returning to the "battlefield", the Shinjuku Ghetto is shown succumbing to fire, mayhem and slaughter under the might of Britannia's advance. Their path of the destruction was clearly smeared on the ground as Lelouch strolls through the streets full of blown corpses, all of which clearly identifiable as civilians who simply got butchered without as much as an thought of resistance. It got to the point that he can't even distinguish the bumps caught under his Sutherland, for they could be anything from from debris of the buildings around, or worse, the crushed remains of some poor dead soul under his mechanical wheels.

Truly, such scenery would perturb even the most hardened of men among the Jury, but the living Demon on scene didn't have the luxury to recoil in disgust now. No, Lelouch kept his face still, completely unaffected by all the carnage while working to turn his phone on again for a single specific call…

"Shirley." He read on, remembering what had almost cost his life a few minutes ago… it can't be denied that she had quite timing back there, a deadly one indeed despite her whole innocence in it, "Hey, it's me…" But, recognizing that, he nonetheless addressed his friend with a tone of serenity, simply choosing to focus on what's important. Judging by the time, Shirley must be about to go do her club activities in the swimming pool, maybe even going to dress her suit just now.

"_Lulu? What in the world have you been doing? Where are you now!?_" The girl spoke, alarmed and nervous.

"I'm just out here, doing some good work." Lelouch lied nonchalantly, easing things up before spotting something ahead in his local radar.

"_Well If you keep cutting class like this, you'll get held back-_"

"Are you near a TV?" He cut her shut, tone completely serious, "Sorry, but this is important." And yes it was since he just stumbled into his target of choice, right where local britannian forces were meeting actual resistance from the terrorists.

For safety, he had to keep himself focused and hidden from both sides.

"_Hmph!_" Too bad Shirley couldn't understand that though, nor he could ever explain it, "_Hang on… Hey, can I change the channel there just for a second?_"

"_Huh? To what?_"

"The news, is there anything about Shinjuku?" He directed her, pursuing his own information on the briefling logs of the Knightmare in the meantime. By the looks of it, the mission given to the soldiers was quite misleading, "(_In the name of Prince Clovis, Third Heir to the Throne: Eliminate every terrorist on sight with extreme prejudice; Consider every civilian a potential threat, and be warned, the enemy had released undetectable poison gas weaponry on the field. Proceed with caution..._)" In other words, only lies and half-truths in here. The soldiers were just sent to continue with the clean up.

That however doesn't quite explain much beyond what he already suspected. Lelouch needed more to know what else his despicable brother was intending.

"_Uhh, let's see… There's nothing on the news actually, only… Traffic restrictions?_" Shirley affirmed with a bit of doubt. She didn't know what to look for.

"Why is it restricted?" He wondered about that in a question.

"_I don't know. They're not saying._"

Thinking it briefly, the Demon Prince quickly noted that his first deduction was confirmed, "(_I see. Once they finish everything off, brother will release whatever story they want that favors the military, washing his hands from blood._)" Then again, this theory doesn't require much of stretch to think off. It is as clear as day. Presumably speaking, by the end of it, all Clovis will gain in this victory is an terrorist group dealt with alongside whatever secrets of that dead girl carried...

And the cost? Some minimal losses in both the army and the numerous slave population? Hmph, that's just nothing to him. Nothing at all. Lelouch can only sympathize with the woes of the japanese for having their last ransacked homes crumpled and torn apart once again…

"_Lelouch? Lelouch!? Why aren't you answer- Ooh, i see, you're gambling again, aren't you?_" Shirley spoke up on his ear, disturbing his thoughts there, "_I told you before how dangerous that is!_"

"..." Faced with her worries, and surrounded by all the waste left by his own people, Lelouch smiled sadly there, "Yep, you caught me..." He choose to play along, latching on somber feelings to make it real just as he happened to spot an abandoned set of chess amidst the ruins of an nearby park. It appears that even some among the Japanese did enjoy the usual western chess despite all the oppression. It's either that or they use the pieces to play shogi anyway...

"_Hmph! One of these days you'll get in too much trouble to be worth it._" His friend berated in a warning, leaving him in silence, "_So, when you're getting back?_" Shirley asked next in a rushed tone.

"I won't. Tell my little sister that I'm gonna be late home tonight, okay? Thank you." Lelouch concluded, ending the call abruptly to turn his device off again. Can't afford another lethal mistake…

"..." That said, none can deny that his rudeness would drive the girl into another hysteria somehow.

"_Oooh, why does he always hang up on me like that?!_" She would say, surrounded by her giggling teammates. Now, this should have make him feel bad somehow but there's nothing he could do. His next steps from here would require the uttermost attention and planning on his part so he couldn't bother thinking about innocent things. On the contrary, with the battlefield laid before him, his focus now was to disturb and defeat the disgusting scoundrels that are his countrymen...

And to that end, switching his screen to reveal "friendlies" on map, Lelouch went on to work, "(_As long as they continue suppressing all information on the battle, it'll be hard for them to call in reinforcements. So they'll have to make do with the pieces they have on the board. Even so, surrounded and outnumbered like this, it'll be difficult to break them through by myself. Alternatively, I could just try abandon everything and try seek refuge, but that alone carries its own risks too..._)" He summarized the circumstances.

Thus, bidding for an solution, the Demon quickly thought up one idea, one that will most certainly require the use of his new powers alongside those who put him in this mess in the first place to make it work. And given the sight of an nearby explosion going off from a blown helicopter, he knew exactly where to start, "(_I want payback for being dragged into your fight._)"

But of course, the fact that he would have to leave his cockpit for him to do so wasn't exactly unnoticed but the Jury...

* * *

"Payback huh? Well It's not our fault if you decided to butt in on your own, asshole." Tamaki shouted out loud, barking from his corner with the usual disdain. At this point, while Lelouch did deliver the catharsis of slaying the Britannians before, some personal grudges still got in the way of making him sour.

"Tamaki." In fact, this even made Ohgi to address him directly, glaring to such extent that it made the hothead look away in a mix of an scoff and shame.

Apparently they had an talk about yesterday's assault on that Rivalz teenager, going on about now that it was him who failed the plan back in that time and how he had no right to be angry anyone. As a result, the mere murmur or thought of who had died on that Skirmish was more than enough to silence any discussion. If anything, Nagata's fate still weights on Tamaki's shoulders…

"Ouch. Such cold manners..." Kaguya reacted, cringing slightly, "Can't say he didn't earned it there but that's quite harsh, Prime Minister. Not as harsh as Lelouch here but still, cold."

Blinking to that, the old freedom fighter leader got confused, "What? What do you mean?"

The teen politician then looked thoughtful, "Eh, nothing much, just trying to compare. I mean, for all the good act he can put on, I didn't expect Lelouch to be THAT blunt with his lies..." She worded it, having an certain distaste to bear after witnessing the Prince treat the one girl called Shirley with his aloof yet masked tone.

"..." And against that affirmation, everyone waited to see what her point was since no one had a word to share. This was quite the shift in topic.

"...and?" Chiba spoke up, breaking the silence, "This is Demon you're talking about."

"Well, I know. I'm just saying that I don't quite like how inconsiderate he's being. Lelouch just comes as a natural when comes to lying like this." She explained her complaints, casting yet another of awkward confusion in the crowd, "He could have at least offered something in return for that girl's troubles. One shouldn't just shake a woman's heart like that or else someone will end up hurt."

"(_You got that right…_)" Kallen mentally agreed.

"Okay… And why is that important, again?" Xianglin interjected, beating Chiba on it.

"It is my opinion. I'm trying to a get a read on Lelouch's friends and how he behaves with them. It adds to the fun figuring his behavior." The young politician answered, adding even more fire to her deadpanning peers with her seemly irrelevant comment.

"..." Or rather, not as much as irrelevant and more like too obvious that everyone took it for granted...

"**Oh really?**" That said, there was but one soul who flared in an sudden cheer from this, "Sweet! You could always come and ask us directly if that's what you want. I have many fun things to share~" Smelling opportunity, the former president of Ashford's student council just latched on the chance to earn the attention and possible friendship of such high profile individual.

"Uuu~ Is that so? Tell me more about it~" Kaguya retorted, intrigued, "You're that reporter, Milly Ashford, right?" She ought to confirm, just for measure.

"The one and only… It's may not be as fancy of a job compared to your _First Chairwoman of the U.F.N. Supreme Council at the age of 15_ (_I mean, Holy Emperor girl, you got far…_) but it does pays my bills." Milly flattered after getting this friendly reading from her target, "Either way, I DO have the gossips about Lelouch that you want~" She sent the teasing hook.

"Oh don't worry, despite my title and job I'm just a curious young teenager like the rest of you, and I do love gossips~" The other party downplayed in humility, her tone betraying the clear interest of getting known more... closely, so to say.

To which the reporter beamed in a grin, "(_Hook, line and sinker…) _Hehe, then I presume we are fairly alike, you and I~" She proposed, strangely sensing some kindred bond with the young politician, like meeting an fellow schemer on the field.

"Indeed, girl, indeed~" That feeling was mutual.

Thus, already planning how they would destroy the world together, Milly couldn't be happier, "It's a date then-"

"**Oh enough stalling**!"

"...!"

"...!"

However, getting too distracted by all the teasing and pruning, an nearby Cornelia couldn't help but to get increasingly angry there, "You two can go flirt with each other later once you wake up! The rest of us have better things to see here."

"Oh…"

"Y-yes ma'am, sorry!" The two (or more like, just Milly) excused themselves before the stunned Jury and went back pay attention to what matters.

Better move forward than lay on with this awkward feeling...

* * *

Such wish was then fittingly delivered, for in the next second there death was blatantly flared in the Jury's eyes again, invoking nothing but feelings of anger, disgust and even fear from the more innocent among the crowd.

Another couple of desperate japanese were just mercilessly gunned down by an britannian traditional battle tank, with the mighty vehicle just pushing ahead unopposed until the very grounds in front it suddenly shattered under the force of an well known red slash harken. In the next second then, a Glasgow surfaced through from a tunnel below, piercing the tank's main cannon in one vicious hit with that same harken, crippling the thing down on the spot.

"Those damn Britannians!" Kallen, seeing how she arrived too late to save the lost lives, was very distressed by all the destruction around her. She scowled in anguish, grinding her teeth all while the panicking enemy immediately retreated at her machine's imposing presence, something that takes a great effort of willpower from her to not just pursue and slaughter them back in retribution.

"_Kallen, can the Glasgow still move!?_" Came the desperate voice of her leader over the strapped radio in her seat. He too seems to be under pressure out there.

"Don't worry Ohgi, it's all right! I'll play decoy on them!" She offered, "Get the people out of here. We have to make sure the only ones caught are us in the resistance!"

"_I know but we're trapped. They've got us completely surrounded!_" The man countered, cornered under some ruins just when another squadron of helicopters is about to deliver death from above on his way. In fact, Ohgi even saw the tip of a machine gun pointed on his away for a second right before an nearby Yoshitaka managed to shoot a rocket launcher and blast the thing out the air, saving their lives at that merest moment but also drawing every possible attention to their location.

"Damnit! I'm on my way!" As such, determined to help them, the red ace didn't spare a second. She immediately ran her Glasgow out there to draw and buy as much time as she could to save her teammates. In one fell swoop, her single slash harken is more than enough to wipe out these outdated vehicles, shattering through their whole frames in fiery explosions that paints the skies with smoke trails wherever she went, all to free her comrades from the meat grinder, "Go, now!"

"_T-thanks, Kallen..._"

However, her powerful defiance could only hold for so long in her state. After minutes that seemed to go on for hours, the entire quarter around her Glasgow ended up being filled with nothing but the wrecked remains of burning combat vehicles. And while this does pictures her dealing an great toll on the britannian forces at first glance she knew this was but the smallest portion of an scouting party sent ahead to locate and distract the terrorists before the knightmares could close in to get the job done.

"...!" Thus, soon enough, Kallen could only gasp as a team of two Sutherlands rolled their way in from behind, their guns primed at her direction sharply on arrival…

"**Oh, if isn't our Glasgow friend...**" The familiar voice of Jeremiah hailed out, prompting the red ace to run in a nervous reaction. Bullets then sprayed, piercing the rock of buildings around Kallen, nearly striking her cockpit with a lethal round before she manage to slip into a corner and run down into the road.

That was it for her, Kallen had practically no chance to defeat them in her damaged state. Alone she could try kick the ass of that one imperial guy again but the presence of his partner there really makes things difficult. Moreover, her energy filler… It was nearing its end.

"Only 30 minutes left!" So she could only cry in a bit of panic knowing that there's just no fighting them.

Her machine can't handle anymore stress. Any fancy move from her part and her Glasgow would just power down on the spot. The stronger the movements, the stronger the energy consumption, so her only option was to flee was far was she could from there and hopefully eject in some safe location after her friends managed to escape. But then again where's safe in this surrounded ghetto besieged into ruins? The cursed the brits are everywhere! Where she could run into?

"_The west entrance!_" Someone answered, much to her surprising confusion. She doesn't know anyone with that voice on the resistance, "_Use the tracks to move to the west entrance._"

Blinking stunned, Kallen quickly recovered from it, "Who is this!? How do you know this code!?" She demanded sharply. The last thing she wanted now was to deal with the unknown, specially with her radio being possibly compromised.

"_That doesn't matter. If you wanna win, you're just gonna have to trust me._" The stranger retorted in a suggestion.

"Win?" Safe to say it, the red ace had no quick rebuttal in response. Given how bad things are going, with both her friends and people dying in groves around her, winning felt like nothing but a dream right now. Kallen didn't even bother to thinking on it, being too focused on trying to survive the current mayhem one piece at time.

And now, faced with deadly pursuers on tail, this guy just shows up and he wants her to trust him?

"..." Kallen doesn't like this, she really doesn't, but buried hope still won over after a second and third guess thinking in it. Right now, there's practically no time for an proper interrogation on this newcomer, nor she had any other choice to salvage the situation really so she had to take the risk...

"(_Ah to hell with it!_)" Looking at her map, Kallen eventually made a turn to go and jump on top of an bridge, letting the compass on screen lead her into the right direction the voice wanted, "Okay, what am I supposed to do now?" She asked, sweating bullets from her position.

Behind her, the two britannians gave chase, reeling on the same train track together with her but not bothering to shoot on her back with their machine guns for some reason, even though she's practically sitting duck with no cover to escape...

"**You pathetic Eleven.**" Her enemy hailed, "**If you simply run away, this hunt hasn't much to offer in the way of sport.**" The Jeremiah declared, simply answering her unsaid question there.

The fact that they treated this as a hunt did annoy the red ace though. She is being made into a fool, "Tch..." Still, Kallen did hold her tongue though, acting smart enough to wait for some sort of signal. The newcomer must have something planned right? Or was it all for naught and she had been deceived? Such thoughts scared her as the gamble rolled on.

But alas, with the screeching sound of an train halting in its tracks ahead, something finally came up on her behalf, "_Since you trusted me, you're gonna win._" The stranger affirmed with confidence, "_Jump onto the train!_"

"Gotcha!" Not even thinking twice, Kallen then pulled her Glasgow forth and made her way on top of the now smashed cabins with quite the eagerness to flee, leaving the imperials behind to deliberately try push freight vehicle with their own Sutherlands.

Seeing this, Jeremiah smirked, "**You think you can get through that way, hmm? If that's you plan, then…**" All he needed to do is order his subordinate to do the deed,

"**You, go after that Glasgow.**" He voiced forth, willing to merely contemplate how his prey will respond against the struggle.

"**Yes, My Lord!**" Such wishes however were quickly dismissed when that very same subordinate, who was about to land on the train's cabins, had his Knightmare hit square through his whole chassis under the twin edges of slash harkens, "**Argh!**"

"**What?!**" Gasping, Jeremiah could only stare as the wire cables retracted, sending his fallen servant broken and blind on the ground, with the factsphere head smashed and his chest piece collapsed upon the frame. And looking for the culprit, all he that could see is an single knightmare crouching inside of a building's hole on the top floor, an allied Sutherland of all things, "_Shot by friendly fire?_" This brought much confusion and anger from the imperial, leaving slightly dumbfounded as he tried to imagine the only possibility of what happened here. It appears someone had the gall to earn his nerves, "**You, what's your name and your unit?!**" He demanded outright, thinking of any court marshal he could unleash on whatever soul that was unfortunate enough for this abysmal mistake.

"..." What Jeremiah received though was just silence.

"**Answer me! How can't you miss an enemy that's right there!?**" He bellowed further, only to be shot by that same culprit as a response, something that caused dread to rise upon the imperial's stomach, "**Wha- No! It can't be… An Terrorist!?**" Now, that's unprecedented! The enemy managed to steal their tech!? Or is it a traitor? Jeremiah has seconds only to ponder on this before his survival instinct kicked in to react.

He first tried to retreat but the hail of gunfire struck right into one of his landspinners, blowing the whole leg limb off and making his Sutherland kneel in the loss of balance. This cut down his mobility, trapping him under constant fire that threatened to kill him if he didn't do something fast, "**You… You son of a-!**"

Froth with anger, Jeremiah raised his own gun against the assailer, ready to leash his fury only to flinch when the yelling charge of the red Glasgow he had just ignored neared on his way, with Kallen lunging in full speed to crash on him, "**Haaaa!**"

"**Tch!**" He had no choice then. Caught in an unexpected ambush of no exit, his last quick option was to surrender this fight, pulling the levers of ejection to just blast his entire cockpit off in the distance and escape with his life intact.

From this, the red ace could only see his enemy fly off hundreds of miles away, practically exiting the city in the horizon before emergency parachutes set off to cushion his descent. And of the remaining carcass of his abandoned Sutherland? It just fell over at her feet, harmless and defeated.

Indeed, in a way this definitely brought some satisfaction to bear for resistance girl since her gamble of trust had paid off…

"**You saved me.**" She first thanked the stranger, happy and relieved to be alive before pondering onwards, "**But how did you get ahold of a Suther...**_land...?_" Yet, her voice was cut short when her savior disappeared from his spot, leaving the red ace in the dark, "(_What? Where did he go?_)"

Such wonder, lingering in the heart, would keep the girl in a trance there, her heart being left in the thrill of just surviving a fatal encounter...

"_Kallen!_"

Whoever that voice is, the answer would have to wait, for her remaining friends from the resistance resurfaced, with all of them running in her direction as they approached the area on foot. And safe to say it, seeing them fine and dandy there did good to ease the stress, "**Guys...**"

Ohgi, rightly cautious, directed his group to survey their surroundings and keep eye on any surprises while he figures out what just happened, "Kallen, what the hell was that radio message earlier?" He asked forth, feeling a bit on edge.

"**I-I don't know. Some guy just made a call with our code and directed me here. Saved me from this thing.**" She pointed at the fallen Sutherland, "**Do you know him?**"

"Not a clue. All I know is that after you brought us time, our enemies got popped on spot all of sudden. It got us really confused before we received a our call." The battered leader explained.

"**Wait, so he did contact you too?**" Kallen prodded, surprised to learn she wasn't the only one.

"He sure did. Both us and Yoshida's group too. Told us to group in here… (_But didn't explain why..._)" He mentally added, fearing a possible mistake in trusting the unknown.

The others had his same concern but didn't fault him for following through with it. You just doesn't trust an random voice out of nowhere when it comes to your battles but it can't be denied that Ohgi was on his _**wit's end **_after their whole plan derailed to such extent to get innocent people slaughtered. The brutality of Britannia had truly shaken him, so none could judge their leader for grasping to any help he could get, even if it was clearly suspicious to do so...

"The area is clear, Ohgi… Aside the wrecks and ruins, we're only found more bodies of locals and britannians alike. Other than that, we alone here." Yoshitaka affirmed, unnerved by the sudden silence around the quarter, "The bulk of the army is occupied elsewhere but will close in soon. We should move."

"Right…" The tension of an ambush was plain on their heads at this strange notion of being the only ones around...

"_Hello_." Alas, fortunately for them, that was when the radio seemed to spazz the static of contact once more, coincidently just as when the group got together, "_Man on the brown jacket. Are you in charge?_" The voice revealed itself, blatantly asking forth a confirmation.

"...Yeah?"

"_Then_ _I present to you the cargo in that train over there. They're the tools for your victory. If you want to use them to win, then follow my orders._" The stranger offered in indication.

Ohgi then felt a sweat crawl on his face. Given how he was addressed so directly, it clear that they were being watched from some place, caught right under the aim of someone… Thinking quickly, he pondered on the voice itself, roughly judging it's relatively young tone of a male nature before nodding a signal to his compatriots to act, directing them to the train. He did of course have Kallen to go in the front with her Glasgow first though, just in case this goes south while opening the cabins themselves.

"...!" However, what they did find next shocked their minds whole in sequence.

Sutherlands. Dozens of them. All crouched and packed with their weapons, energy fillers and ammunition stashes being freely present through the entire extent of this treasure trove of an train gift.

This got them out of guard. There's too many things to process… First, there was hesitation, the incredulity of what they're dealing with being too clear and obvious. But then, as they opened the cargo cabins one by one and turned on the machines, their feelings changed with quite the vigor, the fears of treachery from the stranger being washed away as the hope of victory becomes increasingly certain. They now had functional weapons of their enemies, complete with supplies, keys, passwords and everything else to make them run active...

"_There's more in here!_"

"_Here too!_"

"_This is amazing! Maybe we should give this guy a chance!_" Clearly, it didn't take tong before the resistance members cheered with renewed morale...

And why wouldn't they? Knowing how it's insanely rare to get an piece of Britannia's modern military technology intact, receiving this amount of Knightmares in one go is just unthinkable! Maybe only the JLF could have gotten these to be set up for use, but even then they wouldn't just deploy with this many relics to a bunch of militia fighters from some minor resistance group in the capital city, specially when they are on the verge of defeat against an monstrously superior foe no one had expected or planned to fight against.

"(_Even so, all of this… How?_)" Kallen mentally reflected on this, eyes wide through the discovery. Just what kind of guy this stranger is to have pulled this off? Could he be one of them? Some old hero from Japan that came in recently perhaps? But if so, why not just reveal himself before? Her mind wandered deeply on this.

"_Woman in the Glasgow._"

"Y-yes!?" That said, Kallen bounced straight into attention when suddenly called.

"_Stay where you are. Your unit is going to run decoy on the enemy, you got that?_" The voice ordered with authority, prompting a rather sharp affirmation on her part, "_How's your energy filler?_"

"About 15 minutes worth."

"_Then recharge it. In 10 minutes, I'll contact you with your next instructions._"

"Understood."

"..." And though her mouth did answer, her thoughts were left in daze, with the shoulders only resting when the radio went silent. Indeed, Kallen suddenly found herself wrapped in this strange sense assurance or merit for some reason… She can't quite explain it. Is it because she can see this resulting in some actual difference? That victory may actually happen under the stranger's words? Maybe. Maybe not. All that Kallen knows is that she feels quite comfortable in getting her orders done. It's just brings this smirk to her face that lets her move on.

"..." Alas, the same can't be felt on Lelouch's side. Although it was comforting to see her happily go from his hidden spot, the man-with-the-plan felt the opposite in the scale of stress, "(_This is kind of nerve-wracking…_)" In fact, sighing under the pressure, he could only lean back on his seat to get a grip with what's to come, "(_Regardless, I'll need determination to succeed. After all, I'm betting my life in this game…_)" That's what he judged, clearly picturing the high stakes.

Much like the black king piece that now twirls in his fingers at the risk of falling, so does his fate hangs on the balance here, for this is not just an battle of survival for him no, this is a test for the future he will convey once he finally decides to wage war against his countrymen.

In other words, It's time to put all the knowledge of leadership and tactics he acquired into use...

* * *

Witnessing this, the Jury had it's mild yet expectant reactions there, curious to how Lelouch is placing his newly recruited pieces on the table. They would just continue watching the session with unified consent when one soul spoke with far too much emotion to freeze the illusion instead.

"...Frankly, how quaint." Surprisingly enough however, it was Schneizel who did it, shaking his head at some perceived absurdity on scene, "In the end, Lelouch achievements amount to just that, a mixture of gambles, luck and certified manipulation… There is no merit to it, no actual conquest."

Quite, the fallen Prince could already see the outcome of Clovis's demise, not to mention how Lelouch would grow from here. Though he had expected geass to have played a greater hand on it, Schneizel at hoped for more complexity in brother's accomplishments, something in the lines of his massive intellect at play, not this disappointing handover of coincident conveniences.

"Hmph, at least on that we do agree." Cornelia nodded with slight reluctance, "Then again, only fools engages in fair battles. You would expect at least this much from him with that cursed power in hand..." She concludes with a scowl. The memories of Lelouch as a Emperor quickly comes into mind there, showing just how easy it is for one to acquire both resources and followers. The japanese had no chance of winning, nor did her brother Clovis for that matter… After all, against geass, charisma serves only as a toy for playful and the arrogant, a feature Lelouch had in abundance.

"Well, fair or not I do have to say that the girl was rather careless of just heeding the Demon's words." Guilford comments, re-inspecting the session, "If Orange wasn't as keen as to play with his victims there, chances are that the she would have been killed long before she reunited with her friends, leaving the Black Knights with one less ace pilot in their hand."

And murmuring in mutual agreement, the crowd contemplated, with even Jeremiah himself nodding sporadically, feeling a bit ashamed at his past petulance. Perhaps this goes to show how pride can be a double edge sword in some ways...

"No." Alas, repeating that same defiance she's practically known for, Kallen let her voice to be heard, "Lelouch wouldn't let that happen. He wouldn't just let me die just like that, not if he sought our help." She affirmed with confidence, "While it's possible that he may have manipulated us right then and there, having us all alive would serve him better in uniting the japanese. That, and he also needed every single one of us to fight against that big army."

Now of course, It would take _some_ leap of faith for her friends to follow through Lelouch's crazy plans later on yes, but Kallen's conviction stood strong despite the doubt of how things may be revealed ahead of here. In a way, the red ace still wanted to latch on her battered trust of her dead love, if only to prove everyone wrong somehow.

"...oh please." But, as she had expected it, Schneizel stood unconvinced, "You have inflated sense of self importance, child, so much so that you expect too much from my little brother's _benevolence_ when in fact he just sought to use you. After all, up to that point, Lelouch didn't even know who you are and he probably wouldn't have cared one bit if you hadn't followed his instructions so blindly and perished instead. If anything, he would just lament your uselessness on the spot and move ahead with dominating your petty terrorist friends to work his schemes."

"No! That's-"

"_Nevertheless_, that's not the point I'd like to bother wasting my breath discussing… Lelouch would have dealt with Clovis in one way or another, probably by abusing what he already gained: An easy path to victory through geass. And that's my problem..." Schneizel concluded solemnly, casting much silence to the crowd.

"..." It appeared that everyone had understood what he was bitter about despite the sheer coldness of his argument.

Even Kallen, who surely felt offended by this, had to contend with his logic. Between the sheer utility that geass can provide and the lifelong trust of an skilled companion (to not say possible lover) you have yet to meet... Which choice would Lelouch take?

The answer to that is as cruel as it is obvious...

* * *

And speaking about cruelty, the throne of Prince Clovis is once more imposingly shown to the Jury, with its bearer expressing quite the impatience with the lack of results. It has been a while since they lost contact with the Royal Guard and no one could reach them through any channel, leaving High Command to assume the worst.

"Well? I want a report. Why is this taking so long, General?" Clovis demanded to know.

"The terrorists are mixed alongside the general population and mounting a bit of an resistance against us, but they pose little threat against our vastly superior army." Bartley affirmed, trying impart some good news.

"Yes yes of course, moving on."

"...The gas capsules will be-"

"-what the public thinks, like I said, get to point!"

"Y-yes sir, we're still looking for her, just as you've ordered…" The General fumbles, getting slightly nervous, "New scouts are encroaching on the area where we lost her. It won't take long now."

"..." In other words, there's no new progress as of yet, which is disappointing. Clovis could only hold himself to not pressure his men too much in vain, lest they become even more incompetent, "...Fine, so long we get this done with. I want her captured dead or alive." He pronounced, holding his sinuses to fight a headache.

"Understood."

With this, setting his pieces in motion, Ohgi's group also makes their final preparations for the inevitable battle ahead, having many of his resistance fighters getting acquainted with their new Sutherland toys. And given what they had learned playing the old Glasgow training simulations, it didn't take long for them to get the screens ready and functioning.

"Hey, are you sure about this?" Tamaki inquired his boss in a bit of doubt, "They all had their IFFs removed for some reason. What if this is a trap?"

Out of everyone so far, the hothead was the only one who remained a bit unsure of the stranger's abundant gifts, something that Ohgi didn't bother much. Sure, not being able to see friends on your radar is a bit weird technically speaking, but not so much of a big deal really. After all, "**The other side has total advantage in this war. They don't need to set any traps.**" He argued forth, testing the machine's voice hailer for a second. It worked just fine with the loud noise, "Just get ready and go to your assigned points oka-"

"-_P1, can you move?_"

"...!" Alas, caught off-guard by a sudden contact, Ohgi straightened himself. The voice's call came sooner than he thought, "Yes I can. Why?"

"_Just checking through to ready yourself. The manual shouldn't be any different from what you're used to with the Glasgow._" The stranger spoke, leaving the resistance leader blinking.

"Well, I got worked out already so don't worry."

"_Hm_."

"Anyway, can't you tell us who you are? At least your name." Ohgi probed into his ally just a bit, "Calling you a voice all the time isn't going to work, you know." He brought up the excuse.

"_I can't do that. What if these signals are being intercepted?_" The voice retorted sharply.

"Oh, right…"

"_Can't take that risk really, and more importantly, you must get up to your feet quickly. If Q1 is on schedule, enemy Sutherlands will reach you in about 23 seconds, probably two of them._" The stranger affirmed with such foreboding ominousness, "_Shoot them through the wall._"

"..."

And at such suggestion, Tamaki snorted, "Hmph, he's out of his mind."

Indeed, it's kinda hard to believe that one man can be so accurate in his assumptions, specially in a matter of life and death such as this battle. However, if the man was truly an strategist, if he was one who could steal from Britannians themselves to lead them, a bunch of desperate fighters, to victory… Ohgi had to believe he had a plan for it, "Everyone, double check your weapons." He demanded over radio.

"What!? Are you serious?"

As incredulous as this could be, between handling themselves alone and following a possible war veteran who came in their aid, everyone but Tamaki fell in line. They have gained much so far, so a bit of trust was welcomed. Besides, judging themselves, Kallen was already on her position bravely playing the decoy role again, much like how she did before to save their asses earlier so they couldn't just back off without at least paying their debts. The Britannians were coming and if the voice was correct, blood would flow once again…

"_In position!_"

Thus, the dreaded skirmish resumed. Under the clear view of a helicopter squadron, a red Glasgow made her appearance out of a tunnel exit down into the open, making the Britannians pinpoint their location to react accordingly.

"_Enemy spotted at point F31_." Came the radio confirmation, updating the map radar on Clovis headquarters with a red dot. And from the looks of, the thing isn't moving or doing anything, not even trying to attack the vulnerable scouts like it had done aggressively before...

"A feint eh? How primitive." The Prince commented, seeing the obvious.

"Tell Laslo's squad to go straight in with Eugen and Valerie striking from the rear." Bartley shouted his orders to get it done.

This set the men in motion, with two Sutherland units heading straight through a narrow corridor between buildings to corner their target unopposed… which only served to put them exactly where Ohgi and his crew were waiting, "3...2...1.., FIRE!" Following the voice's orders, they unleashed an hail machine gun fire once the countdown ended, penetrating the entire ruined surface in front of them in a fully automatic weapon discharge.

"_**Wh-What!?**_" This resulted in the two Britannians being shredded apart in a shocking gasp, their machines simply dismantling in seconds from the sudden, unprecedented assault through the walls. All that's heard on radio then is the pilots' death screams as their radar pings suddenly marked LOST on the map.

"Sir Eugen and Sir Valerie are both lost!" An operator sharply reported, "No ejections detected."

"Hmm? An ambush?" Clovis expresses mild surprise at this. How come his soldiers fell to such simple trick? A fluke perhaps? Hmm... The Prince had his deductions but didn't bother to voice them outright. Bartley had this covered, already sending another team to pressure the enemy. However, what came to happen next would certainly haunt the Prince quite deadly...

"(_Hehehe, an I.D signal can be a double-headed sword._)" The Demon chuckled in amusement, seeing how his newly recruited pawns were essentially invisible to the enemy. Quite, with IFF Transponders removed from the terrorists' knightmares, Lelouch has essentially a recurring element of surprise that he can exploit, one fed purely by the sheer confusion of the Britannians seeing their own "allies" turning against them time and time again on a moment's notice. And given how he can see their movements from his own stolen radar, he can practically set any amount of ambushes that he wants, without them being able to react in any amount of time.

Such is the trump card that he, the Demon Warlock, will have in hand constantly working in his favor unless the enemy chooses to abandon the comfort of a tactical display for something more convencional…

"(_...but of course, considering how my brother is, that's not going to happen so soon. Rather, it's the other way around. Clovis is going to be so caught on trying to see the invisible that so long the terrorists follow all of my commands, then I virtually have guaranteed my victory._)" This is what Lelouch concluded, smiling maliciously as he moved his pieces, "P1, P4, P7, move a hundred meter to the right and fire your slash harkens toward 3 o'clock." He relayed, much to the cheer of the terrorists.

"_All right people! Let's do what the voice says!_" Came the bright response from the one called Ohgi, moving out with his troupe. By now, he and his entire resistance group seemed adequately convinced by Lelouch's proven merit.

Or at least that's how it appeared to him from most of them, "_Damn, what else does he want us to do?_" He heard one annoying voice complaining.

"Why aren't you moving yet, P5?" Lelouch prodded thoroughly, identifying the pebble in his shoe.

What he received back was a grunt, "_Yeah yeah I'm going, just quit calling me that!_"

"Hmph… (_My my, quite the troublesome this one._)" The Demon figures with a arched eyebrow. Aside some minor adjustments in the plans, the battle would scale gravely for the Britannians anyway, with the terrorists slowly but surely holding their ground to a degree that it would definitely shock his dear brother out of his throne...

And yes, without a miss, that's exactly what happened. One by one across the battlefield, every squad, team or unit of knights, infantry or armored elements sent to scout and scour the terrorists were precisely picked off and eliminated by some ambush. There was mayhem in the communication channels; tales of friendly-fire being deliberately open; slash harkens coming out of nowhere as well as machine guns and rockets fired from seemly impossible corners; the enemy seemed to come and go intercepting them at an impossible range of timed attacks, to the point that it was more than obvious that the terrorists were practically predicting their every move from the moment of their advance, casting nothing but a shadow of dread in the shoulders of High Command leading the charge.

"..._I have a confirmation, Sir! They're are using the same-__**Argh**__!_"

"Sir Edward is lost! Updating his findings now!" ; "Got the news here! Confirmed reports from the western corner!" ; "General! Enemies sighted moving towards G28!"

"Send Laslo's Squad- I mean Glaube's Squad after them!"

Bartley was at a loss. Seeing the buffoon and his entire operation derail to such extent paralyzed Prince Clovis on his chair. He couldn't believe it. The enemy was actually mounting a challenging resistance against them. Hell, the radio reports, the sightings on field… they pictured something that shouldn't even be possible! "_The terrorists… They have our military weaponry!?_" Clovis whispered to himself, visibly gaping, "(_How!?_)"

How indeed. Those were were fears coming true after so many consecutive losses...

"Sir Glaube is lost! His frame has ejected successfully!" A operator flared, just reporting how he was ambushed by an unarmed red Glasgow in an intersection...

"Tch! Change our codes! They're intercepting our transmissions!"

"We already have sir, four times!"

"Do it again!" Truly, Bartley could only below out loud, going back and forth with his operators in a futile waste of time trying to get things back in control. Nothing was working on their side and he just refused to believe his enemies had the means to combat his forces like this, a mistake that just painted him as nothing but a sweating pig of a man, completely unfit for his title of General.

And only now Clovis seemed to realize this...

"This failure is unacceptable!" He immediately boasted in indignation, suddenly rising from his throne out of patience, "Is this all that my army can possibly do!?"

His voice made everyone cower in fear, specially the General who couldn't see any alternative this growing mess, "F-Forgive me, Your Highness-" He would plead, desperately hoping to save his own neck when a video transmission forcefully interjected in their communications lines to occupy the map screen, revealing the face of none other than the meddling scientist himself, the Earl Lloyd Asplund from the "_voluntarily-attached_" Engineering Corps.

"_Good Afternoon~_" The man casually addresses them, completely blind to the room's dreadful mood.

"..."

"..."

Looking back and forth between the blinking Prince and him, Bartley eventually took the initiative to speak, "What is it!? We're middle of a operation!" He demanded bravely, cleaning his tone from previous nervous streaks with this unprecedented opportunity.

"_Well, I just happened to hear that the enemy has acquired knightmares somehow, so I was hoping to know if it's time for us to deploy the ASSEC's special weapon~_" Lloyd stated, making his intentions clear.

"..."

Now, under normal circumstances both the General and his Prince would be willing to accept such free aid in this time of need, specially with the kind of trinket this renowned scientist has in hand. However, knowing exactly from where the ASSEC (the Advanced Special Envoy Engineering Corps) comes from, and from whom it truly belongs to in sponsorship, there's quite the political attention implied here, the kind of attention attention that Clovis himself is seeking to avoid at all costs…

"No, it's not your time yet! Get out of my sight!" The royal retorted, shutting Lloyd down.

This was his only option really, if only to keep prying ears from listening out of his own court. Bartley of knew this and used the opportunity keep his mouth shut, using the free time he got to think of some excuse while the Earl had the Prince's anger distracted away. Truly, the General was even relieved at the scientist's sudden interruption here since he could now appease the Prince directly and salvage his situation with a more sound advice.

That much was Bartley's hope at the very least...

But regardless, the General had much to do indeed as the one-sided massacre continued weight gravely against the Britannians forces on the front. Lelouch's battlefield deductions proved to be continuously flawless in their guidance, placing the terrorists in the right place at the right time with a razor sharp precision to execute one deadly move at time.

"_P1, autocannon._" He ordered ahead, destroying a tank, "_R2, fire anchor._" He pointed next, crashing a helicopter, "_B7, use UN ordnance_." He sentenced again, taking out an entire APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier), "_N-group, continue your advance…_"

And so it goes. With every order done, Lelouch conquered his enemies with impunity, inspiring the Japanese to charge the Britannians in righteous fervor, going guns blazing while shouting war cries on their hailers. Never before they felt so invincible in this one momentum.

"**You bloody elevens!**" Their enemy cursed, seconds before being obliterated in a failed retreat...

"We lost Laslo's squad!"

"That's it then, send in Quincey's unit!" Shouted Prince Clovis forth, seeing in his eyes what he believed to be an opportunity.

General Bartley however knew that his liege missed something, "Your Highness, if we do that, we'll break the ghetto's encirclement." He warned, once again getting worried for his life.

At this point, the casualties were amounting quite considerably on them, getting dangerously unfeasible to cover as the terrorists reach the city's outer borders. They now risk a possible breach in their frontlines, leaving both their supply chains and support elements vulnerable to flanking assaults from every conceivable direction, which alone would prove to be devastating to the operation as a whole!

And that's if they even attempt to do it in first place. After all, with a open gap in the lines, chances are the terrorists could just choose to escape from the battlefield, fleeing away in hidden tunnels that no one could possibly pursue in this maze of a ruined city. Should that happen, they would essentially flee with Prince's biggest secret in their cursed deadly hands, creating the worst possible scenario imaginable!

Or so the General deduced, thinking in the very same lines as Lelouch did, who now smiled to himself judging what reactions his brother has left on the table to deal with this predicament, "(_Now then, the enemy has five options…_)" The Demon mentally states, eagerly awaiting with his king piece twirling around the thumb like the regent he is. Time is ticking in the Britannian's side and it shouldn't take long before a check is made.

In the meantime however, cast away under the shadow of defeat, the Jury's sight is thrown across the battlefield, not in the Clovis cruiser as they have expected, but rather a few block away where a dirt smeared Jeremiah had finally come through into the open.

It seems the Imperial had walked quite the long time working his way out of his crashed cockpit to finally meet with friendly forces, and after what felt like half a hour or so, what he sees on arrival is the mobilization of tanks, APCs, helicopters and Sutherlands combining together all around him to march down into the city in unison. This is definitely far more units than their forces originally had ready in reserves, a knowledge that Jeremiah knew for a fact following what little communication his headset could pick up in air.

"We're breaking formation?" The man wonders, with a fairly accurate assumption on the events.

The veracity of this move could only mean one of two things: That either victory was most certainly asserted by now, leading up to a final clean up order; Or the worst, that this was an aggressive push up to assault the enemy in their "fixed" position, an reality that was far from ideal given the elusive and yet masterful resistance that the terrorists have presented…

This cast some eerie dread over Jeremiah's spine as he speculated this move. Who gave this stupid order to push against a effective guerrilla force? The Prince? No, His Highness wouldn't be so naive, nor would he choose to intervene in the matters of military operation so directly going by his known persona… No, It had to be that useless Bartley. Only someone as incompetent as him could have suggested this mistake. After all, that girth of his is proof of his inability to his title.

At any rate, Jeremiah grimaced as he ran. While he could not confirm any blatant suspicion coming out of his opinions, his real focus now was to find someone from his subordinate faction to work on an contingency. He prayed that Villeta had her duty accomplished on her end otherwise who knows what will happen once this next tactic fails spectacularly. Prince Clovis may consider the rough actions of war distasteful and brutish in a way but he's sure lacks of any kind of mercy at face of failure...

Sadly though, to his soon-to-be-confirmed worries, it was already too late. The liege had long settled his mind in this move.

"...Reinforce the breach with some of the units guarding me. We know for certain that enemy has its forces on this one point, so this shouldn't be a issue. Send in Burts and the others to concentrate our forces and just surround them!" The Prince declared, excited in his plans.

Faced with this, the order was eventually given, causing waves of motion in the entire Britannian army. And the moment Lelouch saw this on his radar, he was honestly surprised, "(_Well now, they made an even stupider move than I expected…_)" He judged forth, not really complaining at the opportunity. Rather, If brother wishes to hand him the victory, who is he to reject it? "Q1, is your area map accurate?"

"_Yes, but only for the old town. It has no updated landmarks_."

"It will serve…" Prompting his most useful piece to move, the Demon had her ready with a plan in case he needed some boobytraps ready, "Mission Number 3." The grand reception had to be prepared...

Many details would follow from there, with Lelouch carefully guiding the terrorists in specially designed locations at the word of Kallen's directing hand on the possible paths of the enemy's concentrating advance. This would require quite the trust on their part as there's only so much he, the strategist, could do trying to organize the tactical aspect of it all.

Indeed, without a ounce of hesitation, Ohgi's group had no qualms on following their youngster's lead, which came as quite the surprise for the Demon. The girl was steadfast in getting things done quickly and more and more Lelouch started to appreciate the willingness and bravery of Q1's deeds as she didn't even question the risks of what may happen should they do as instructed. Though this whole skirmish would be just a one-time thing for him, Lelouch enjoyed to have servants this obedient at his disposal, a trait he didn't expect to still have after so many years acting practically alone...

Perhaps his royal blood is surfacing through again, dabbling on the glamour of loyal subjects, or maybe it just feels good to finally rely on someone else to do the hard work, vague as the feeling may appear in these circumstances. Of course, Lelouch knows this barely fits the description of what he felt, but he didn't want to delve into the proper meaning behind it… Right now, everything is just working too smoothly, so he just laid low and appreciated the show.

"They're coming now. Is everyone ready?" Lelouch radioed in.

"_Hai!_"

"Hmph, do it then." He gave his order, gripping his king piece tight.

Thus, led by the nose of Kallen being so fittingly spotted from the skies one more time, Clovis' major forces followed right behind her, having several Sutherland squads moving to encroach that one red spot marked in practically the center of the terrorists' held territory. Yet, the fact that they invaded there without meeting any proper resistance did disturb some of the more cautious soldiers as they voiced their suspicions over comms. The enemy is not reacting to their advance for some reason. Are they really there?

"Yes, the enemy's main force in centered ahead!" The Prince assured them, feeling so vainly driven, "Finish every one of them off!"

His order was absolute though, so they didn't question it… until reality proved certain that the impossible had occurred…

"_No contact in the area, Sir! The highways are clean. Corners and ruins too!'_"

"What!? The enemy's is not there!?"

...to which Lelouch just simply smiled, right before placing his wrapped king upon his arm chair, treating it like a chess table, "(_With this, I call check_.)" He amusingly declared in a petty gesture, signaling the disaster cast upon his enemies...

And it all happened so quickly! The very streets themselves began to crack and crumble under the feet of many Britannian troops who were unaware of the threat right below them. Ohgi and his entire resistance group did everything exactly as planned, shattering the very foundations of city's structure to make it collapse upon the foes in a cascade.

This had devastating consequences for the battlefield. The High Command, they just found themselves blatantly stunned as the ghetto fell under a mini-earthquake. The radios just echoed screams in the feedback, all while the tactical map screen pictured the shockwave disturbances in the display, with that wave domino killing every single soldier they've sent down into certain damnation…

"Ahahahahaha! It worked, didn't it!?" Lelouch cracked in laughter seeing the dozens of LOSTs pinging in his screen. He already can imagine it, the look of shock and surprise, followed soon by fear in his brother's despairing face… This is just like the old times when they fought in chess, but even better! "I can do it! I can defeat Britannia!" The Demon cheered, drowning in the triumph he so long dreamed off turning real. No longer he would have to worry about his and Nunnally's future after their graduation anymore! Nay, with his new power in hand, his true rebellion is pretty much guaranteed. It's only a matter of when he should make it happen.

Preferably, it's better to wait a couple of years in preparation before making any move, just in case...

This is what the Demon has sought, already thinking ahead in his next distant goals for the future while his brother Clovis collapses under the prospect of certified defeat at the hands of some unknown monster.

"(_Who…_ _Who the hell am I up against?_)" The Prince dreaded, slowly stepping away from his tactical screen. Truly, knowing the very history about the near invincible might of Britannia's military, only one soul came into mind that could topple them to such extent in the lands once called Japan... and even then, the records themselves couldn't compare to the mess he is dealing with here, "(..._What… What if he's better than Todoh!?_)"

Recoiling on his feet, Clovis could only gulp down his growing anxiety at silence, sweating heavily at the thought of uncovering a new grand national threat. Hell, the fact that his foe could organize what barely amounted into a single section of troops through stolen supplies to best and defeat an fully supplied, fully armed, battle company under the will of a royal noble... This just seemed inconceivable. These cannot be mere terrorists. This had to be an organized ploy from the JLF lurking around for a opportunity to make a move on him.

Yes! This must be it! The assault of his secret base; the whole masquerade of a terrorist chase; the movement of an entire ghetto against him... Indeed, all of it made sense now. He had been caught into a trap from the very beginning! And now, with naught but the bare minimum troops left to maintain the blockade, his enemies will have infinite chances of escaping with that cursed immortal girl, putting his future into complete jeopardy! Clovis couldn't left that happen here, he could not!

"Y-your Highness, perhaps we should call reinfor-"

"**Lloyd!**" The Prince suddenly shouted, dismissive of his useless peers. With them he wouldn't gain anything under these circumstances, so instead...

"_Yes, Your Highness?~_"

...Clovis had to resort to desperate measures, calling his one auxiliary asset with a restrained reluctance to do what his personal forces could not: Defeat the enemy at all costs, "Your toy. Can it win? Will it beat them?" The royal confronted him, already knowing that the Earl had been waiting for a opportunity like this.

"_Please_ _Your Highness, call it Lancelot._" The man boldly corrected him, not answering the question.

Quite, the scowl Clovis would make in response to that told everything that Jury could feel about the Prince's frustrations. Not that couldn't, albeit barely, sympathize with...

* * *

And yet, from their privileged spot, they have seen it all and some more, gazing with awe as Lelouch accomplished what he wanted in his schemes, delivering the much wanted comeuppance to Clovis' unrelenting slaughter…

The way he did this shocked everyone, including the one Schneizel in the middle of things. Indeed, after the gallant had spoken his words way earlier, the whole Jury expected him to be correct as usual since his intellect seldom failed. However, not only Lelouch didn't use his geass powers on anyone else on the battlefield but also his inactivity could be confirmed, as discovered by an often silent maid that had once come to serve him in life…

"See!? He didn't use geass to cheat his way to victory, he did that on his own merit with amarras brains!" Kallen shouted with renewed confidence. She really _really_ wanted to smack that smug out of Schneizel's face. In fact, she might do it literally should everything fail.

"Hmph! Can you really be that sure, young lady? What about the shifts in focus? Or the change of scenes, hm? My brother wasn't on center of the stage all the time during this whole display." The gallant challenged, "It doesn't take much of a effort for him to act off-screen and work his spell without us knowing. You can even confirm that fact yourself if you want. The tools are in our hands…" He affirmed, mentally rewinding the whole illusion in her face to make a point.

This left the red ace gritting her teeth in cold rage. Once again the bastard had the argument on a strong fort. It seemed her petty praises to Lelouch couldn't hold any water in this sinking quicksand. Thus, everyone, from her friends in the student council to the acquaintances in the Black Knights, all they could is share a sad glance at her...

...

Or that is, until, "_No, not all tools I'm afraid…_" A voice cut through the brief silence.

Yes, following its serene female tone, all eyes fell upon a calm-faced Sayoko standing gracefully as usual in her subservient pose beside Jeremiah's side. Such spotlight on her did only last seconds before the whole Jury gasped at presence of Lelouch's ghost beside her, a second one in fact, being the splitting image of the same academy student in his black clothing sitting is his cockpit from the Sutherland he had just stolen there.

This was a rewinded image from the current session, a clone from a earlier scene, spliced in a way that it divided the very surroundings behind Sayoko in a display of a second scenery apart from the current frozen one.

"I've discovered something that it may be of use." The good maid explained, "After Prince Schneizel expressed his disappointments, I had been wondering if there's a more precise way to monitor the events shown to us at our own will. It did take some mental experimentation at first, but it did work to some extent."

And truth to her word, reality did exactly as she willed it on the dream. It replayed all the events they had already seen in this one session with a unique twist on it, this time carrying a focus solely locked on Lelouch's footsteps, from the moment he geassed Villeta to the moment he orchestrated his strategy on the Shinjuku Ghetto. There were some oddities for sure, like the actual lack of sound in the replays were he wasn't the central focus, but it did reveal everything that Lelouch did (or didn't do) whenever the session diverted the Jury's attention elsewhere.

It showed for example the Demon walking on foot in middle of the battlefield to geass infantry soldiers one by one so that he may get access to a direct supply line. It also revealed how he got that cargo train prepared to gift Ohgi's group by stealing the soldiers' knightmares and using them as workforce, right before executing them outright and setting his first contact in motion. From there, it all seemed to be a clean conclusion… Lelouch didn't leave his Sutherland at all after contacting Kallen. He never did an effort to geass the terrorists themselves in any moment, proving his remaining actions to be a work of intellect and strategy after the initial contact with the red ace.

"Interesting… Very interesting indeed." Schneizel admitted first, "So everything was deliberate. The coordination; the planning. He really wanted to test his skills in the hard way… (_Although granted, Clovis isn't remotely a worth challenge for a gauge_)."

"Well it makes every sense here. Lelouch always planned to lead a rebellion in some form." Xingke added in his own wisdom, "Considering that he might find himself ordering men into battle he had start to somewhere. And why not take advantage of the situation here to setup an playfield?"

"I see. He would rather test his mettle now than just run away… Heh." Todoh felt strangely amused by that notion.

Prime Minister Ohgi however felt the exact opposite, "Urgh, I still find this dirty though… Being used as pawns while we're fighting for our lives…You just can't do that to anyone." He commented with a hardened tone. Indeed, while there was a small relief one could lean on in not getting mindfucked, the strings of the Demon still felt disgusting to witness. Hell, desperation or not, Ohgi is even ashamed that he eagerly followed the "voice's" plans directly instead of coming with some of his own...

"Oh knock it off will you!" Kaguya sprouts on his face, pouting at him, "Look on the bright side! You fought for Japanese with a free mind by the end of it. Yes Lelouch did _ease_ things up on your end but it was you all who made it work with your own effort. That _has_ to count for something, right?"

"I… I guess so." The man reluctantly agrees.

Meanwhile, seeing all this reaction, an pair of blue eyes blinked in quite the surprise from below the blond hair, "Huh, there you go Kallen, you got exactly what you wanted! Love was good boy, wasn't he?~" Milly teased forth, riding the wave of the now chatting Jury.

"What!? No! I didn't- I-I mean yes, he did right (_I think?_), at least in helping us back there _but he's not my love or anything, okay!?_" The red ace flustered in a mix of confusing tones and feelings.

"Uhum, sure girl, sure~" It seems she's still shy of holding her feelings with pride, a fact that left Milly slightly sad to see...

"Hmm… I wonder how Old Man is going to deal with Suzaku." Gino wonders, shifting the topic elsewhere, "I mean, Kallen is driving a ramshackle scrap that's barely armed to deal with a single Sutherland and they're are about to deal with _Lancelot_ right now. Unless someone else can to put up a fight I don't see this ending well."

"Erm, didn't Lelouch just _wipe out_ Clovis's whole army off the map?" Rivalz responds in a wide-eyed suggestion, "Yeah… I don't know about Knightmares or battles really but one guy can't make that much of a difference on the board, right?"

"Ha! That's where you're wrong, kid."

"...?"

Before Gino would answer him however, another much bolder one stepped in, his face smiling with grand expectations. It was the mad scientist himself, Lloyd, ready with a explanation on the tip on the mouth, "The right weapon can make _all_ the difference in the hands of an expert." He declared, "His Majesty is talented, there's no denial on that, but so is his new competition…"

And adding to his presence, Cecile also expressed her option, "...We all know the outcome of this battle. Let us not forget whose life will be lost in here." She ominously affirms, tension and fear clearly exposed for all to see.

"..." Truly, such bold statement did mute the others briefly, knowing exactly the meaning behind it…

"According to what I recall in my time in the army, the launching of Lancelot was the vital key in defeating the terrorists in the Shinjuku Incident…" Nina affirmed with a unnerving seriousness, "And yet, Prince Clovis was murdered under strange circumstances after a declaration of complete ceasefire… Knowing what we know, I think we have good guess on how that happened…" And she didn't like it one bit. Indeed, for as much as the Prince had deserved it, the eerie means from what she (along with the rest of her friends) imagine it happened… It revolts her stomach all the same.

"Oh Big Brother…" Nunnally muttered among them, half-lamenting, half-comprehending the end goal of this mess. Nina's words already solve the puzzles for them, so they just have see it done properly.

That said, this didn't prevent Milly from voicing her discomfort in exasperated sigh, "Good god we live in a world where magic exists! How crazy is that!?" She shouts in dismay, slightly freaking out at all moments Lulu could have possibly abused them with that eye thingy of his. Her playful mind could think wonders of both nightmares and unending laughter on her behalf, with some even delving into the kinky _lewd_ side of things on the recesses of her thoughts. Then again, what can one expect with bloody _mind control_ on someone's hand?

Thus, with such wild opinions flowing freely among the Jury, experimentation was loose. Sayoko's discovery opened avenues of opportunities in meddling with the "memorial evidence" that they have access to. Unfortunately, this new lensing asset of theirs wasn't was cooperative as everyone thought. There are certain moments, both in present sessions and in previous ones, that cannot be accessed or altered in the way the maid had done it. In fact, even repeating what Sayoko did just previously didn't seem to work half the time. It is as if there's some catch that no one managed to figure out to make it consistent.

Either this is a actual half-locked mechanic of the dream or just a convenient device left at the mercy of the Judge, there was much speculation to this limitation. In fact, trying to figure out what Lelouch has spoken with Genbu in his childhood or spying on C.C's brief appearances in the old sessions resulted in nothing but wasted efforts. In other words, It appears that certain secrets couldn't be reached in any way, shape or form...

"Aw bummer." Anya mildly complained, adding her discontent in chorus of many others in the Jury.

Not even the former Knight of Round could prod her way back to past of Lady Marianne's death memory in the very first session of the King's Court… The petite girl tried her best, but the image wouldn't mold under her will. Quite, nothing, not a single nook or cranny, on that particular night could be re-focused or re-watched under a different perspective to reveal anything new. Jeremiah tried, but it failed, and so did Cornelia's attempt.

Anya would have to contend herself with what she has for a memory, wondering when it might play a hand one day…

"A shame. Perhaps I've been too careless in exposing this tool…" Sayoko commented, thinking poorly of herself.

Jeremiah however disagrees, "No, this is a wonderful gift you have granted us. It gave me one more way to look in Lady Marianne's fate, as well as that of her murderer. Chances are that if His Majesty still holds the will to uncover the truth, then it will be revealed us. This is but another obstacle we must tackle." So declared the Orange Knight, fists shaking in his hard grip.

"Hmm…" Heeding this, the Anya tilts her head in thought, curiosity branding her face, "Is the mere pawn of the true murderer really that important?" She innocently asks.

"**Of course he is!**" Jeremiah inadvertently yells, making the girl flinch. So loud was he there that it even drawn the Jury's unwanted attention in a awkward way.

"..."

"..." The following silence is then drawn painstakingly long before all parties diverted their eyes believing it's just Orange going in a small bout of frustration…

Certain lurking glances did remain but Anya didn't bother them anyway, merely settling to face an ashamed Jeremiah with a slightly hurt stare. There was words she wanted to say yet none she could formulate. If anything, her savior's obsession in serving Lelouch alongside that mother of his itched the former knight in the wrong way, so she decided to get some little distance from him, going join Gino and Nunnally for a while.

This way, with the speculations and the nerves settling down, the Jury has its silent consensus to continue with what they believe to be the final act of this skirmish. Curiosity and apprehension seemed to flow steadily with their expectations, specially with the execution of Clovis's foregone conclusion.

How will it happen? That's the question...

…

…

...

_**To be Continued…**_

Author Notes: Small correction, turns out I stated that Lloyd is a Duke in previous chapters when he's actually a Earl. Minor mistake really.


	18. Stage 2 - The White Knight Awakens Pt3

_By the God Emperor of Mankind can someone fucking add an quick edit button for the Authors on the bloody page! It would make so easy to edit small typo errors. I've tried to fix Chapter 13 and 14 three times now and the save button has failed me. This is crushing my inspiration!_

**Stage 2 - The White Knight Awakens (Part 3)**

"**Z-01 Lancelot now activating. Lancelot is activating. Releasing hatch...**"

Activity immediately echoes into motion once the session resumes, showing a certain portion of the Britannian's forward base going into alarms all of the sudden. It appears the soldiers of the logistical personnel are moving everything they can to supply this one transport tank among the many, and the reason why very is simple, the hailers themselves seem to announce the coming actions of some scientific workforce bringing a pristine weapon of war up into display…

"**...Z-01 Lancelot standby for activation. Pallet extension initiating…**"

Suzaku could hear them go quite loudly as he finishes dressing his new uniform, basking in the loose comfort the thing has before checking himself upon a mirror. Indeed, this fittingly customized, high-impact suit he was given looked rather fashionable in its white and black colors under the gold trimmings. It is a bit too flashy for his tastes sure. but nothing that he couldn't complain really, after all, Honorary Britannians can only dream of being able to wear of these things.

However, as the pains of his hips clearly demonstrate, his life is not a dream. This former japanese soldier has earned an opportunity that no one could match, a chance to make things right through the example of his deeds. This is what he set out to do, standing ready for his new duty as a knight pilot.

"_So, have you finished reading the manual?_" He hears his new supervisor, Miss Cecile, calling into his newly gifted headset.

"Yes, pretty much."

"_Well done then. We've finished computing the data and as expected you've scored the top of the class in the simulations._" The lady informed with grace.

"I see…" But, while this certainly put ease to Suzaku's acknowledgement into the role, he had more things to be worried about, "Look, about what you've told me earlier… Are you sure of it?"

"_Hmm? Ah, yes It could be, but the possibility is nearly zero._"

"Still, that just means I have a little chance, right?" Suzaku held into his hopes while walking his way out of the medical truck. Looking ahead, he could see parts of his new weapon sticking out of its wraps… The very same weapon that will help him rescue Lelouch whenever it will be possible.

Miss Cecile of course knew of his intentions, as he had confided her after making his masterful display of talent. And yet, despite all that, she acted with much reluctance when faced with the odds of an civilian surviving the initial slaughter down in tunnels. Suzaku's friend would need the luck of a saint to keep himself breathing all the through now. It's either that or he actually joined the terrorists, which only makes things worse in appearance...

"So?"

"_Well, I'm afraid you're right, there's a small chance, yes..._" She worded it, voicing an mild agreement to his vain hope, "_Even so, I don't want you to do anything reckless. The new model doesn't have an ejection mechanism installed, so If you get cornered-_"

"-Right, I understand, Miss Cecile." Suzaku finished her sentence, already knowing what to expect. He just have to careful through it all, something that the good soldier didn't see much of a issue to be worried at. Considering how the simulations went, none of the terrorists should really present a threat to this venerable knightmare. In fact, just seeing it being released from its pressurized metal binds was enough to make Suzaku stare wide-eyed at it's majestic, elegant design of a sleek humanoid combat walker.

And what a machine it is… a four to five meters tall, white and gold behemoth in the shape of a judging knight, with a plated face glaring oppressively from its protruding helmet, seeking to challenge whoever stands before it...

"This is it?" Suzaku even doubted if he was looking at the right thing.

"_Yes, the experimental weapon developed by us in the Advanced Special Envoy Engineering Corps: Lancelot, the world's first seventh generation Knightmare Frame._" Cecile introduced it to him.

"(_Lancelot…_)" The soldier parroted. Truly, such definition certainly fits the appearance. This thing looks nothing compared to the clunky Sutherland designs that often employed in the army…

"_Right then Suzaku, if you're ready, shall we proceed with the initial start-up?_" Intruded another voice in his headset, this belonging to Mr. Asplund, the genius behind this relic.

"Ah yes!"

"**Initial start-up, proceeding from phase 20.**" Given his acknowledgement, the ASEEC's engineering teams go on to follow a sequence of phases where they remotely ascertain the functionality of their machine piece by piece, from its electronic systems to its exotic components, all under the supervision of the creators, "**...Equipping Energy Filler.**"

"_Pre-start confirmed. Energy filler is now at full output. 30 seconds to reach full voltage._ _Core Luminous, shifting phase. Yggdrasil powering up…_"

Suzaku heard every procedure as it flowed into his headset, waiting forth until he himself was called to finally enter the machine, "**...Initiating Devicer setup.**" And just as stated in the manual's terms, that's his cue.

"_Confirming entry of Devicer Z-01._" The soldier was then lifted up to the cockpit where he can finally get comfortable in its seats and turn up the knightmare key gifted him, "_...Individual I.D registration, completed. Man-Machine interface, confirmed. Yggdrasil resonance, confirmed. Rejection response, weak. Devicer stress response, weak. All readings normal._"

"_It's all going according to data so far…_" Commented Mr. Asplund ominously, his tone sounding rather serious for the occasion. Lancelot's engines were burning hot, it's levers fully sensitive at touch, leaving Suzaku free to make his own personal adjustments before making any move. If there's any chance for some malfunction to happen, now it's the time…

"**...all status, green. Tactical back-up bank, authorized. Secondary confirmation, granted.**" Thus, with all cables cut, the engineers and support units surrounding the machine move away to give Lancelot some space, letting its last motions be tested before the pilot kneels it down and drop the landspinners into a runner stance.

"Lancelot, M.E boost." Suzaku affirmed over radio, manually powering his machine to such a degree that covered the entire transport tank he was in with the smoke of his rolling wheels...

"_Lancelot, Launch!_" And so, the moment Cecile gave him the signal, the soldier just catapulted himself straight into the streets, cutting the very air in a shockwave as he soared! Indeed, so powerful was his exit that it knocked the entire supervision team off their feet, forcing them to duck into cover just to protect themselves from the killer gust.

"HAHAHAHA! Running full throttle right out of the gate, huh?" Met with this result, Lloyd just laughed off, happy to see his machine run as intended. Safe to say it, this Devicer's compatibility had greatly surpassed his initial expectations.

"Incredible..." Yet none could say it better than the pilot himself, who had his firsthand experience right off the bat, "This is cooler than what manual said." Suzaku admitted, feeling the power and weight carrying him forth with such strong intensity. With this, he now felt certain of his victory... All he had to do now is eliminate the terrorists and secure the ghetto as per the Prince's orders.

And, if possible, he'd prefer to do this _before_ his wounds start to become a problem again…

"...Ugh…"

Either way, gunshot pains aside, the Jury restrained their opinions about Lancelot's deployment in the favor of the action, staring as the mystical machine instantly arrived at the objective, hunching over in swift zigzags to approach its first victim.

"Huh?" Tamaki, being the unlucky one overwatching the front at time, blinked his eyes in confusion when his sensors detected the approach. What saw next was this insanely fast white blur charging on his way, going so fast that his aim tracker couldn't really pinpoint it correctly, "...What's that? It doesn't look like a-_Guh_!" Hell, before he could even finish his sentence the factsphere of his Sutherland had been suddenly crushed, spreading such damage that it forced the cockpit to auto-eject from the impact sensors alone, leaving the hothead guessing blindly in confusion as he flew off.

From there, Suzaku didn't spare a second, already moving from his well executed punch to lunge after the next sentry in the same full-throttle speed to keep the momentum. His relentless advance did wonders to catch the terrorists off-guard, creating enough of a disruption so that nothing but bits and pieces could escape off into their radio channels. As such, even Lelouch himself was left successfully unaware of this blitzkrieg assault, distracted as he was planning the final push from what he believed to be a crippled enemy.

But, such thing wouldn't go for long with his many pawns on look out...

"_This is B-group! Reporting enemy presence!_"

"Hm?" The Demon, disturbed in his contemplations, arched an eyebrow to this news, "(_Reinforcements, here? Hmph. I guess real battles really are a different thing…_) Status report."

"_Everyone ejected off in the outskirts. Something took the four of them in a blink of eyes!_"

"Enemy numbers?"

"_One, just one!_" His bishop answered in a surprising explanation, "_I think it's a new model. I've never seen anything like-gah!—-_"

However, in a sudden scream the radio went static, leaving Lelouch baffled, "Hey, what happened!?" Indeed, being blind much like his brother on the tactical display, the Demon could only judge and deduce that his servant had been struck down in some rushed attack, with the rest about to suffer the same fate if he didn't do something…

Now, while Lelouch was quick to improvise at face of such threat, there's only so much his men can report accurately over radio, specially under the stress of a life and death situation. The terrorists weren't anywhere disciplined or learned enough to describe the imposing appearance of their opposition they're dealing with. Hell, according to them, this thing, this… White Knight, as one soul would put it, seemed to just arrive in this sudden burst of wind, treating them down like scum as it scanned the surroundings from shoulder-mounted factspheres. And with their comrades lying defeated upon its feet, the glittering picture of a dominant Britannian was certainly impressed upon them.

"**Why you bastard!**" Reacting in anger, the japanese then primed their guns in revenge...

...to which Suzaku merely presented Lancelot's right arm and powered up the so called Blaze Luminous Defense System against them. What followed next then was a shocking display of defiance as the Sutherland guns proved to be useless on contact, their bullets being deflected inches away from their target as it struck a flashing green wall of sparkling energy.

"What? Your bullets are bouncing off?" Lelouch was surely incredulous after hearing this.

"_Yeah! Some kind of shield thing! What should we do!? Shit, Ishida, watch ou-Gah!_"

But, as reality was out there, it had to be considered to be true. "Tch! (_Useless terrorists…_)" Nevertheless, the Demon was less than impressed at this performance, "(_...They have all the resources in hand and they're still being beaten by one unit..._)" He judged with a growing frown. How is he's supposed to create a plan based on such faulty intel? Was he to believe that a single, unarmed Knightmare with special issue gear could really do this? Some kind of prototype model? Hmph, how quaint, "N-4, N-5, hold your positions. When the rear units reach you, surround that thing." He ordered forth, thinking some of countermeasure.

"_Gotcha!_"

One unit can't be this possibly effective alone. Even veterans or geniuses, for all their skills and prestige, has their limits when faced with real battlefield conditions. This much is what Lelouch believed…

Yet little did he know that what he faced had the might of both terms fused in one being, for Lloyd was the veteran scientist behind his creation while Suzaku had the genius talents make it work. Together, they create a unit so powerful that it might challenge and breakthrough even the most cautious of strategies, one that should not be underestimated at any second.

In other words, "(_Yes, I can do this! With this Lancelot I can stop all this at once!_)" Suzaku could only shine in his proven confidence.

As such, led by his sharp reflexes, the soldier just moved in for the execution, launching one slash harken from his wrists to immediately decapite the Sutherland in front of him while using another to boost himself into a somersault jump, all to plant a hammering a landspinner wheel in the head of another…

The two terrorists were down but more came out into the open, a whole ten of them in a squad who immediately tried to surround him, firing guns from every direction possible to bypass his shields. However, Lancelot was far too agile to be cornered in this manner. Suzaku had no problems keeping them in his front long enough for them to run out of bullets. Then, by the time they realized their mistake, he was already charging through the hail of lesser bullets, cutting through the arms and bodies of many terrorists without breaking a sweat.

"**We can't stop this thing!**" One of them screamed, desperately shooting his own slash harkens blindly before being himself pierced through the neck by one.

This certainly had an effect on morale as panic and fear quickly spread in the terrorist radio channels, "N-Group, what's happening!?" Lelouch tried to get a line with any survivors, but time and time again the thing would hang up dead in his ear, with screams being the last thing the Demon would hear, "(_What is this? Something I didn't foresee?_") Shocked, he pauses for a second to think, gritting his teeth while scrolling through mental options. Things were getting out of control and he had no extra information to work on...

Such the turn of events became so drastic that even Prince Clovis had to admit that he did not expect this degree of success occur so quickly... To think Lloyd had something like this, a force that's actually capable of going against such unknown villain… It sure leaves a bad taste on the mouth, "For Heaven's sake, now I'll owe my older brother a debt I don't need to incur…" He first commented in discontent before shaking his head, "Still, it is for best."

An success is a success. That's how Clovis reasoned it. Better to accept this gift for the moment and worry about the cost later. After all, he can plan on silencing Lloyd _after _they recover the immortal girl.

* * *

Now, such revelations only served to inspire the Jury to see further in session, but even so, amidst the adrenaline of the action, anger and awe going in conflict did much to shatter the immersion, making it freeze whole so that the crowd could process them.

"_Of course, of course It is for the best… it must be for a scum such as you, brother..._" Cornelia seethed in anger, feeling annoyed at every second his treacherous sibling went on to disgrace himself with his words and actions. Clovis's motivations were far _far _too reprehensible for her to accept, a feeling many shared together at this point.

"Such wasted effort…" Guilford spoke, frowning in a head shake, "Every side is being led by either misinformation or treachery of their own doing, fighting almost blind through the whole skirmish."

The rebel Japanese is being led an opposing Britannian, the opposing Britannian is a friend of the rebel Japanese fighting in the other side, and neither know who they are fighting against… Truly, everything here is mess in a handbasket.

"I suppose this goes to show the importance of military intelligence." Xingke comments aloud, adding his own opinion. It was hard to gauge himself reacting in any other way when faced with such unknown threat, "Lelouch sure was caught flat-footed there."

"Well, he got what he wanted, a challenge worth of his skills." Todoh added along, "Too bad, he couldn't see the irony of who was behind it all." He concluded, eyes closing in contemplation. Indeed, the circumstances here appear so paupable now that a single talk between both sides would have resolved everything, changing the world for better or for worse if it had ever happened...

"Tch, I cannot accept this..." Chiba reacted with cold anger, "Why must our kindred be the ones to bleed under scheme of these monsters!?"

Her feelings, manifested in the indignation of the Britannians coming out in the top, just seemed to burn her ever small patience. The injustice just doesn't seem to stop. No matter how… _understandable_, the Demon's journey towards madness may have been, the fact remains that only innocents (Japanese only in her mind) seemed to suffer in his wake, and the Holy Swordswoman couldn't fathom why this is how it should be…

"Why, isn't it obvious?" Came the answer in a smug tone. It appears Schneizel was keen to try give his opinion, "It must because nature dictates it so. There are those born to rule just as those born to serve. It is that simple."

"..." Yet, despite his unwanted words, the crowd still listened.

"But to put it into action, when two or more sides come into an impasse, the struggle of reality finds a way to put everyone in their rightful place, either they want it or not..." The gallant lectured, explaining a vision not just from how he sees it, but also how he is also affected by it, with the weight of what expects looking quite clear by his glare at Lelouch's frozen face.

"Urgh, give me a break. That's just a really pessimistic way of saying how we're all just different…" Kaguya retorted, unconvinced.

To which Schneizel merely smiled, "I would argue that I'm realistic, logical even... Not that you would ever accept my view." He countered.

This however only earned him some empty stares from the rest, all with that cold vacant eyes of reflection upon the sour meaning behind what he said. Though not actually agreeing with it, few could put their thoughts into the words to say against him.

Or at least, few without the sheer honesty in their hearts...

"Yeah you damn right I won't!" Tamaki shouted in his usual display, "Fucking brits with their fucking traitors and their fucking secrets… You're all dumb bastards who should have died back there! That's how I see it fair!" He boasted, both angry and loud.

"..."

As such, dealing with this, the hated gallant just shook his head realizing he wasted his breath again, turning instead to face Zero who observed him silently...

"**Well then.**" Being unofficially addressed, Suzaku fought the urge to sigh. This had just gotten out of hand, "**If you're all done venting, may we just continue?**" He inquired in a short and passive suggestion.

* * *

Safe to say it, the Jury's acknowledgement was as quick as it was intended, already flowing into motion the ever darting form of Lancelot running free to divide and conquer his enemies as much as it could. Back to the action, Suzaku's presence just terrified the terrorists in sight, making their aim go blind against his unstoppable acrobatics of jumping from wall to wall amidst alleys while kicking, slashing or tackling anyone caught on the way...

By now, progress was most certainly being made out of this and the supervision team was more than happy to receive the data they were collecting in feedback from the confrontation, giving them what they needed to calibrate their collective creation into ever finer efficiency. In fact, just a glance in Lancelot's Core Luminous Reactor Relay and Cecile could only remain wide-eyed at the numbers she's receiving, "These readings are even higher than predicted!"

"Well, that's because our pilot is taking his job very seriously." Lloyd theorized in his trademark smug. His Devicer was pushing his limits quite dramatically out there, which is something to be praised for sure… Of course, he cared more about what Suzaku could give him in data than otherwise but he at least recognizes the effectiveness of the boy.

"(_If I can stop all the knightmares, then this battle is over._)" Affirmed the good soldier, vowing to himself, "(_No matter what it takes, I've gotta save Lelouch and that girl!_)"

And so it goes...

With the destruction of the terrorists underway, Lelouch eventually had to come into terms that his strategy was failing him, "P1, report!" His last pawn, sent to catch the enemy in a corner, was shortly taken out by another indescribable melee assault from the so called _White Knight_, leaving him with no means to face the enemy directly…

This then meant that he, the Black King of this table, was now pushed into a corner, locked in what's essentially a check, done by none other than his brother Clovis. Truly, such improbability leaves Lelouch quite baffled to think of. Only his older brother Schneizel had ever put him in this much pressure on their chess games, and yet here he was, being nearly crushed by the one sibling he always seemed to win over in past times...

"_The enemy… can it really be only one unit?_" The Demon contemplated in a whisper, distraught by the shift of circumstances as he briefly counted at few pieces he had remaining on his war table. The terrorists now barely numbered into a single squad of survivors, led by his quite resourceful Q1 out there somewhere. And even then he doubted they really were around after this scattering mess they have faced. If so, perhaps he should consider a retreat then, maybe concede defeat here to move into the covert phase of his plans like he had first intended...

Lost in these decisive thoughts, Lelouch was left completely distracted on his hiding spot, an situation that would instantly change when a slash harken zipped into a ceiling a few feet of his presence.

"...!"

The White Knight had arrived, and he fit every bland description he was told by terrorists, including the monstrous speed it seemed to have as it instantly zipped into his face to strike! Hell, the Demon had to cross his arms purely on reflex there, lest the sharp edge of a wrist-mounted slash harken decapitates his Sutherland on a single punch.

"(_Is this it? This is what's ruining my plans!?)_" Lelouch scorned, trying to match and push his knightmare in vain against his now revealed nemesis.

"**You're the commander, aren't you!?**" A voice shouted over the hailer, the tone sounding far younger than expected.

"..."

Indeed, the silence spoke for itself. Suzaku had found him, the mastermind behind the terrorists. It's was only by chance that he managed catch a heat signature lurking here in this abandoned ruin, hiding away like a coward to commit such atrocities… Yes, because of him, Lelouch, that girl and every other innocent on this ghetto… They have all been put into danger because of this one terrorist pulling the strings! He had to pay for this! He had to be beaten down and brought to court to answer for his crimes!

"_Gr!_" Such was the White Knight's righteous rage in pushing his villain there that that the very floor where they both stood cracked under the weight of their lockdown, causing whole sections of ruined building to collapse down on their wheels…

And as one can expect, this left the Demon scowling as he fell, enraged at having these circumstances forced upon him due to the actions of this one single individual, "(_How dare he, coming out of nowhere like this! He's nothing more than a pilot!_)" He mentally voiced, balancing himself up to his feet as the debris washed over his now-dirty Sutherland. Truly, this felt like an insult to his intellect as a General. To have him, his plans and everything else thrown into ruins… The reality of his surroundings reflected his mood very well here…

Alas, for as much as he wanted to correct this perception, Lelouch as usual considered the logic first, "(_No choice, I've gotta get out of here._)" Trapped in such tight corners, fighting was not an option, not against something unknown who can move faster than his clunky model. So instead, he had to gain some distance and find a way to escape unnoticed, get somewhere safe so he may think properly of an alternative strategy.

With this in mind, the Demon would move, rolling a few inches ahead right before a proximity alarm flared on his visor, revealing the White Knight flying right into his direction with this massive spinning kick aimed at his face!

"...!?" Against such sudden mortal blow, the Demon had again but a split moment to block the attack, only to be thrown off balance regardless as the impact made his hefty Sutherland crash into the ground in a thunderous fall, "_Gah!_" Shaken, Lelouch was only able to grit his teeth as the White Knight moved too quickly for him to recover, already approaching with a slash harken ready for execution over him...

...but then, in a unexpected assistance, a red Glasgow saved his life by suddenly appearing from the flank to throw a punch, trying but failing to knock the knight who easily caught it in her charge.

"**Hey! I'm returning the favor!**" Lelouch heard Q1 boast, right before she fired her only remaining weapon point blank at her target's face, with the sharp edge of a slash harken having almost reaching the head helmet before the enemy instantly reacted, snatching it out with his bare metallic hands!

"...!?" This came as quite the shock for Kallen as she didn't expect her attack to be so easily suppressed there. And worse yet, locked in a strength contest, the White Knight seemed to easily overwhelm her petty Glasgow, crushing it's only remaining limb in a matter seconds under it's monstrous grip, "**This is it for me…**" Thus, forced to her knees under a dangerously sparkling cockpit, the red ace did what she could and ejected herself, escaping from fiery explosive death right out of the ruins...

Though not as effective as she wanted, her actions were not for nought in the end, for Lelouch did well to make the most of the distraction to flee. From this, he recalled one important lesson out of his queen's well timed altruism, "(_I have to remember this. The most vital element in battle is the human one, for its the soldiers that conquer the battlefield, not the weapons that they wield..._")

Yes… His loss here was a matter of misinformation combined with a effective shock-and-awe executed by his enemy, both fruitful conditions that easily thrive in underestimation. The Demon figures that his biggest mistake was assuming his strategies could fully compensate for the lack of skill the terrorists had to offer, not to mention letting himself to be blinded by his successes. Such pride had almost cost his life here, with his queen being the only sacrifice that prevented a proper checkmate...

That said, the danger was not over yet, for the White Knight was shortly on tail, going faster than ever now that he caught up in pursuit.

Lelouch couldn't take his chances here so he immediately turned his torso around to shot while running, striking naught but the road as his enemy dodged with his uncanny agility. Failing that, he then tried to use the terrain to his advantage, spending what's left of his magazine to shred the nearby buildings and make them collapse on top of his pursuer in a shower of debris and dust.

"_Hmph_~" With this, surely his foe can't possibly dodge that...

Such wishes however were vain, for Suzaku's pursuit wouldn't be denied. The good soldier needed but one scan of his surroundings before immediately making the precise turns and jumps necessary to avoid destruction. His instincts and skills, pushing the levers in right moment made Lancelot gilde through the enclosing gaps, existing completely unscathed as the highway shook into dust. Truly, the sheer ease of how he accomplishes this, without losing an ounce of speed or distance to his fleeing target cast quite the shock for the villain ahead who saw this and gasped in awe.

"**What!? What is that monster!?**"

And while Suzaku could understand the fear he cast upon him, the good soldier still frowned at the sacrifice his people were willing to make just to get away from punishment, "_Bastard! He's tearing things up for no reason!_" To him, it's just an unnecessary desperation… The loss of life, bloodshed, the anger… If only the Japanese understood the consequences of their actions, of how dangerous they can be to lives of others who just wanted to survive… All of this could've be avoided if they had more patience and compassion.

In fact, as an unwanted example, out of the blind destruction that now surrounded him, another victim fell prey into to his people's desperations. Lancelot's sensors picked up the screams of a woman falling down in lethal velocity right above him, her frail form cradling what appeared to be a baby in her arms...

"_Tch!_" This then forced Suzaku to make a choice: Leave her be and continue the pursuit, or let the criminal go to save lives. Indeed, If he was a heartless, pragmatic individual he might have just picked the first option and moved on with it. After all, what are a couple of lives in the face of capturing the head of Tokyo's terrorists who managed to defeat the army? Surely some sacrifices must be worth, right? Bullshit! The good soldier could never let such unjust view on life thrive in these dark times, specially when his own victory was pretty much guaranteed.

No, he can capture the villain later if all possible...

Thus, having long made his decision in that split second, Suzaku made a full turn and threw himself up in a another harken-boosted jump, stretching Lancelot's hands to catch the poor victim with grace and care to prevent what could've been certain death.

Such action, while heroic to see, did raise eyebrows from both sides in the engagement as they couldn't exactly determine how to judge this.

"(_...He saves someone else in the midst of battle?_)" Lelouch for instance was left solemn, trying reason the thought behind it. If anything this definitely paints his enemy as the gallant White Knight he appeared to be, an extreme rarity among his warmongering kindred for sure, but nothing more to it, "_Hmph, in that case I don't mind giving you the tactical victory here..._" The Demon conceded, "_...However, the cost of this battle will be far more than Britannia would ever be willing to accept..._"

With such mental declaration, Lelouch then decided to eject himself out there anyway.

While keeping the Sutherland might have eased the portions of his plan from here it was not critical enough to force him fight for it. Rather, he had other ways to make his threat worth of its words, so toppling his own king piece down was of no cost. Besides… there is something to be said about the loss of life he had almost caused right there. The Demon wouldn't ever admit this but he did lost the moral battle here as well.

Meanwhile...

"What? He rescued someone?"

"So it would seem."

"Huh, how strange of him..." Lloyd blinked in wonder after seeing what Devicer had done. The feed did show it clearly, him placing a mother and baby into safety far away from any crumbling debris. Indeed, Suzaku even made the effort of assuring her surroundings were safe before dropping her down, to which, for all his altruism, the eleven herself didn't even bother to give thanks, running away in quite the fright from the giant knightmare staring her down...

"Oh well, I guess the stress of battle must getting into him. We should pull him back." The Earl suggested in assurance.

And nodding along, Cecile complied, opening a visual link into his screen, "Suzaku?"

"_...! Yes, ma'am...?_" Startled by her face, the young man straightened himself into a serious yet apprehensive stare. It seems he's expecting an rebuke for his blunt disengagement there, not that she really intended to give any...

"Are you okay? Tired maybe?" The assistant addressed him, expressing both worry and ease, "We can call it quits for today. You've done well so far."

"..." The good soldier however remained unfazed, "_No, I'm fine. Please let me keep going._" He requested, looking determined as he scanned his general area for his long gone target.

"..." Faced with this, Cecile took a glance at her senior, who just smiled and waved his hand, giving his general approval. If Suzaku is willing to repay his mistakes, then Lloyd is keen to oblige. Any amount of stress in piloting Lancelot had already been expected in their estimations, so this was fine for him. Better get him used to now than later, "Just be careful of his operational time, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

After that, Lloyd left everything with Cecile and headed out to stretch his legs a bit. This whole operation has been a far greater success than he had expected. Prince Clovis has his victory, the terrorists had been squashed and he got himself a prodigy in tow, all wrapped in one big present he can gift to his sponsor alongside the data... The only thing that's missing now is the stolen poison gas out of the terrorists' hands but that's something that Suzaku will soon handle from here...

"_My my, that boy's an excellent piece of equipment.._." Lloyd commented to himself, reeling in the success. By now he can't just stop smiling through it all...

...And unbeknownst to him, so couldn't someone else.

Few feet away from him, down at the very center of the Britannia's forward base, a single uninteresting soldier made its way towards the idle land-cruiser, seeking to enter it straight. However, the guard standing in the front entrance did its job, priming his gun at everyone who dared to approach even if they were part of the army itself. Then again, this is probably due to a matter of leadership security. A nobody can't just have access to the Prince, can him?

"Stop right there and show your ID! This is Prince Clovis's personal transport!"

"Heh… At last, the check point, lightly guarded as I planned…"

"Planned…?"

"Yes, and now I'd like you to let me pass…"

Alas, as reality would have it, the _so-uninteresting_ soldier that arrived just happened to have the brightest of purple eyes underneath the helmet he had removed, with a royal voice so divine that the guard couldn't help but to be mesmerized by it, "[I see, understood.]"

Indeed, bereft of any impediment, Lelouch made his way inside, not once disabling his unholy power as he entered dressed in a stolen uniform… And as he and Jury knew it, the Prince and his retinue would be completely defenseless against what's coming, their minds hanging vulnerable at the Demon's dominating will...

* * *

As one would expect it then, such outcome was wrapped too many undertones to be ignored, some too intense to be simply set aside in the eyes of the Jury...

"Oh, wow… that's… cool as shit!" Rivalz for example couldn't contain his excitement despite all the reluctance to the historical facts. Lelouch may have proven himself to be a badass yes, but the reality is that Suzaku wasn't too far behind on that aspect. In fact, given how the symbolism was obviously thrown around, the blue waiter/chess expert had never ever expected to see old genius partner falter in the way he did. And to think it took his Japanese friend kicking this much ass like a superhero to make Lelouch react like he did…

"Meh, not exactly." Gino however disagreed, dismissing Rivalz mental awe with a coolheaded manner, "Just like I suspected, none of the terrorists could put real fight against him, and the one who could didn't have what she needed to win." He stated, looking at a certain redhead.

Kallen then simply rolled her eyes, "Hmph, not my call there. I was supposed hide out and wait for some predictable response, not face the next generation's death machine." She explained.

But then, "Lancelot is not a death machine…" A dull voice sprouted right beside her, without a soul noticing said presence until it spoke.

"Wow-what the-" This made the red ace jump as she took notice of a petite Anya staring nonchalant to her reaction, "W-where did you came from!?"

"From behind." The knight girl simply answered.

"Anya?"

"Hi Gino, hi everyone, I'm here now." Anya presentes herself, not really putting much of an emotion other than visible smile, "Anyway, Lancelot isn't a death machine, it's a knight, much like Suzaku himself was." She added next, reinterring her point.

"..." Such thought lingered in a rather cold awkwardness among her peers before Milly decided to speak, "Weeell I guess we can't just deny that. He didn't quite kill anyone there from what've seen and he DID became knight of round so I suppose you're right." The mischievous reporter followed.

To which Nina frowned, "It does look brutal though…" She commented, rewatching all the fight scenes so far, "If anything, the terroris- I mean, Kallen's friends might have gotten.. too crushed right there." The genius girl mentions, not exactly comfortable in admiring Suzaku's talents. It vaguely reminds of her own when it comes to horrible reality of war...

"And?" Yet, challenging that, Gino showed her as well as all of his friends there an deadly stare, "Soldiers are trained to make split second decisions, otherwise they will find quick death on battle. Hell, we just saw how messy all that skirmish turned out to be... The ghetto was overrun, soldiers got ambushed and everyone else who didn't move or run either died for good or got crippled for life. No other way around it…" He affirmed, not mincing his words there.

One would guess that with everything they've saw, with all the horror or death shown so far, this shouldn't affect them this much. But, that cringe of hearing the cold truth did still make some twitch upon facing it, their faces hanged with the weight of realization on how everything is inevitable in it's cruelty.

Just glancing back in the session, the many times those close to them have almost died is staggering. Kallen almost died twice fighting in the skirmish; Suzaku got lethally shot once; and Lelouch? He already walked on the edge of death's door many times now, risking much of his head in this scheme of his…

And now with Suzaku brutally punching his way through to, ironically speaking, go after the Demon's head, Gino's words sounds even more deadly than it is.

"So… that's how wars go then…" Nunnally uttered in a small epiphany, "It only gets worse in scale, huh?"

"**Yes, Your Majesty, yes it does.**" Zero responded with a sour tone, "**And it's not just life that is in stake here. In every fight there is, in every skirmish or battle, or every war that is wrought, life is in danger on every aspect. Those that fight risk not only their lives, but also their very sanity as minds are grinded in the heart of conflict, all to achieve what they believe to be their righteous objective.**"

"..."

"**If I had to judge what's the worse thing about a war, it would be the cost of it… How far are you willing to go to get done? How much you're willing to sacrifice? That's the worst dilemma, and that's only counting what you can control… One must also not forget what can just be lost in chaos of it all, the unintended consequences of it...**" He lectured, remembering his actions in former life as the infamous _White Death of Britannia_, "**Imagine what would you all think if Lelouch had just vanished, if he had caught dead by an stray bullet back there in that battle? How sudden your lives would change then? I'm sure none of you could imagine it. That's how bad it can get. That's how horrible wars can be…**"

"..." His words, though modulated by the helmet, were solemn to hear from the way he spoke. The gathered student council could just feel some kind of trauma that this figure, this masked hero, seemed to carry with him. Quite, from the few who actually knew his actual identity, it was easy to sympathize what he meant knowing how fragile their lives could be.

"...And yet, we all need to go through it nevertheless eh, Zero?" That said, latching into his distracted mood, Schneizel intruded with his words, his tone both soothing and taunting at same time, "It is inevitable. After all, how else would we resolve our conflicts with those we can't trust to be fair in good faith? Hmph, simply to put it, we can't. There is no other way."

"**...**" Not knowing what he intended, Zero then raised his senses, and trying to see what his point is...

"Even worse, instead of acknowledging such fact, we humans often try to sugar coat, avert or justify our actions in vain, much like that younger Suzaku over there, attempting to save an everyone under his principles by crushing everyone who stands on his way… In fact, I don't know if I find this tragic, ironic or just hypocritical." The gallant Prince commented, "In any case, it's a shame he couldn't see what his choices would result into..."

"**That… Is True…**" The masked man reacted, reluctance laced in his voice. He held back his emotion but his body betrayed their existence, having his hand tightening in a crushing grip from a mix of fury and guilt, both indicated at himself and at Schneizel.

"...(_Oh? Unfazed, are you? I see…_)" This of course was intentional, for the fallen Prince simply sought to provoke him, testing his manners as to drawn his attention and break his resolve. In a way, Schneizel was getting tired of the open secret his jailor is foolishly holding. Though much of a petty action from his part, he wanted to see what would happen if Zero's mask fell off right now.

He's in for a challenge on this however. The slavery of geass cannot be easily avoided…

"(_Suzaku, Big Brother..._)" Alas, blind to this little skirmish, Nunnally took her guardian's words to heart, dreading what may come now that consequences came to be unveiled. She, latching into the same same feeling shared by the rest of the Jury, wanted to know what Lelouch's schemes will end…

So, as silence was restored, the illusion flowed into motion once more.

* * *

Too bad for them though, for what the Jury really wanted wasn't exactly what they got here...

Instead, It appears that the session had yet another point of view to show elsewhere, another scene, going back to remains of the Japanese hideouts right after Suzaku's major intervention. This went so heavily against the wishes of the audience that it even created an anomaly in the illusion itself, an strong reaction to their desires of wanting to see the Demon at his work against Prince Clovis.

The resulted in the same effect that the maid Sayoko had previously uncovered, the yet-uncontrolled slicing of perspectives that now tried to keep maintain focus on Lelouch himself while the sight of an younger Kallen was the one they should pay attention to. In other words, the Jury now witnessed two scenes at once, both flowing in real time as the events went, one with all the perceptions, while the other was shrouded in a mute, near-colorless reality...

That said, starting with the lively one, the Red Ace was shown running away from the remains of her cockpit, which landed somewhere near the old industrial warehouses a few blocks away from where she fought with the White Knight. After paying debts with her savior, Kallen now sought to find anyone from the resistance as quickly as possible, keeping her head down while crossing the ruined streets of an eerily silent ghetto. As of now, only the occasional helicopter or tank could be heard here and there and she knew it won't be long before the Britannians recover from their own butthurt to kick their asses back.

How they are going to survive from here is a wonder for sure. The Red Ace in her mind couldn't conceive any kind of plan. The voice promised victory earlier… and almost had given them one until that goddamn knight showed up and screwed with everything. Now scattered, outgunned and definitely outnumbered, one can only remain pessimistic as they are stand in a position far worse than before.

"Kallen!"

"...!" However, luckily for her, crossing faces with a friend, her current leader even, that was the best start that she could hope for in recovering from this mess, "Ohgi!?"

"Over here!"

Dragging her off to an alley, both followed a path that slipped right into a seemly abandoned complex, passing along plenty arrays of similar buildings that were tailor made with same design inside it's walls. The refuge they sought was hiding in here somewhere, acting much as rally point for the resistance members to get into safety.

"Thank goodness you're alright. That was crazy of you, going that after monster all by yourself!"

"Well I couldn't just stand still and nothing hearing all that noise!" Kallen retorted to Ohgi's sudden reprimand. She knew his tone was one of certain worry and frustration with what she did but the feeling was mutual, "Anyway, is everyone okay? Did they make it out?"

"Yeah most of us escaped unharmed. Those Sutherlands are quite bulky on the rock out, so that's nice bonus." Ohgi responded with resolution, "The ones left standing are trying to hide in the tunnels but that damn knight is sniffing them out one by one somehow. Didn't get any news from them after that…"

"What about-"

"Wait. We're here."

Yet, interrupting her suddenly, both stop over the entrance of one specific warehouse among the many, where Ohgi makes some sort of knock for someone to open. There was a eerie silence where those inside try to recognize them before the doors open a gap, bringing them inside a rather crowded place filled with the many japanese survivors of the disastrous genocide that had just occurred. Safe to say, Kallen was relieved to see her many compatriots alive and well to watch over their people. This means the fight can still go on somehow.

On the other hand however, as the civilians saw the doors open for another duo of the so called '_freedom fighters_' to enter, some eyes just glared back with disgust and contempt...

"...It's your fault." One soul accused among the crowd, "This is what happened when you oppose the Britannians!"

"What!? Why you gutless coward!"

"How many people were killed because of this!?" It appears that with dire consequences of their actions taking a tow in their hearts, many were willing to blame on whoever brought such calamity in to homes, much to the shame of the resistance members.

"Shut up!" Tamaki however couldn't accept that judgement himself, "Do you know how many of us were captured or killed, do you!?" Out of everyone, he perhaps felt the blame the strongest, crushed with anger at what they have lost.

As such, distressing tears flowed freely among the crowd, and while Kallen could sympathize under the pressure. Their situation at hand haunted her still, "Ohgi, what about the Voice we heard? Is he alive?" She inquired curious, continuing from where she left off.

"I don't know. He doesn't answer when I call, so maybe he has escaped…" Her leader expresses, laidback as he takes a spot to sit on the ground.

"..." Kallen, still notably worried, eventually shook her head in response, figuring that perhaps it was better to just clear her mind and rest for now. She will need this for the later fight when it comes.

And came it has... far sooner than she and everyone else had thought of. Suddenly, muffed thunders of notorious gunshots echoed outside, followed rocking quakes that shook the whole warehouse they stood!

"What the-"

Out of nowhere, in a escalating sound of motorized treads grinding upon each other, something big just parked right in front of warehouse's gate, to which the resistance could barely scramble the people to move before a giant explosion blasted the doors down in cloud of smoke and dust, revealing the imposing presence of an battle tank treading itself inside with multiple squads of infantry, all to mount a wide firing line against the survivors.

"See? See!? Instead of following somebody we don't even know, we should've used the poison gas from the beginning!" Tamaki screamed at Ohgi, frothing from the dead end he and the rest of resistance were suddenly left in, "Damn that Nagata!"

Indeed, the Japanese souls could only gasp in the fear of damnation, for this is exactly what they've feared… The Britannians have found them, and they are about to deliver death from which there's no escape from!

"So, this is where you elevens scurried off to…" The tank commander savored maliciously at the easy meat, "Prepare to Fire!"

Faced with this, cornered with no exit, Kallen could only close her eyes shut, instinctively calling for her long-gone big brother to save her, "_Naoto…!_"

"Fire!"

…

…

…

But then, for some reason, her death didn't came...

"_**Attention all forces! Cease fire at once!**_"

Instead, a powerful voice echoed across the battlefield, drawing gasps from every soul lost caught in the skirmish…

"_**In the name of Clovis la Britannia, Third Prince of the Throne and Viceroy of Area Eleven, so are you hereby ordered! Cease fire at once! Cease the destruction of any buildings or property. All casualties, whether Britannian or Eleven, shall be treated equally and without prejudice! In the name of Clovis la Britannia, so are hereby ordered, cease fire at once! I shall allow no further fighting!**_"

…

…

…

Only awkward and shock could be felt once such message was spread...

"(_Cease Fire?_)" No one had expected it. Not Suzaku on top of his Lancelot; Not the soldiers patrolling the streets; Not Jeremiah frozen on his spot; Or the mother the knight had saved; Not Villeta stumbling in the battlefield; Neither Lloyd or Cecile staring at the cruiser nearby, No, the Prince's words were clear to everyone, to both the living, the death, and those in-between… There was no doubt on what they just have been told of here.

"..."

This then leaves the question what led the royal to say it. Why did he suddenly sprout ominous surrender right in peak of his victory? Well, none but Jury knew fully well why. The Demon hasn't idle when Kallen went through her dilemmas, far from it. Much like it was revealed before, he was instead busy executing the last steps of his plan, as shown in the spliced half of the session at hand.

And it all began with a mute scene of sinister horror...

Like an unwanted ghost, Lelouch strode upon the bland walls of cruiser's inwards, drawing the attention from all he came across on his path with his strange glowing eye. Out of everything pictured in this colorless scene, the only thing with a vibrant light other than grey was the shining power of geass flowing out of the demon's head, leaving nothing but red circles in the eyes of those he spoke.

The cruiser's personnel, from the operators, to the engineers, to the soldiers and guards aboard, all the way up to the throne deck where the General and his advisors stood, every single one of them except for Prince Clovis just stopped what they were doing to calmly walk away, acting as if nothing uncommon or unusual was happening. And as one would expect, this caught the royal off-guard since from his gestures alone you could see how he demanded some answers. That however quickly changed when the Demon pointed a pistol in his direction, an action from which no one among the other souls present seemed to react with any alarm.

Only Bartley, in the infinitesimal moment where he could still perceive with his consciousness intact, realized what had just befell upon him, recognizing the sigil of geass glowing so brilliantly in his direction, right before he too was seemly ordered to forget everything and walk off, thus leaving his liege completely exposed for Lelouch to have his theater…

From there, nothing more need to be described about was transpired. If anything, the only remaining thing worth of mention was the fact that the Demon hasn't yet geassed the Prince when threatening him to give ceasefire... Beyond that, just as the word had been spread, the focus of the session began to shifted back to the scene at hand, granting the Jury the whole perception of what's now "_the present_."

"Hmph, Satisfied?"

"Yes, well done."

In other words, sound could now be heard again, and by the looks of it, Clovis appeared rightfully miffed at the fact he was so thoroughly threatened in this theatrical manner…

At this point he just resigned himself to this fantastical situation, wondering who among his opposition in the Court could have pulled an act such as this. Hell, he couldn't think of anyone who could just buy the loyalty of his every advisor in one go, specially that ingrate Bartley who left with such calm expression out the room to leave him in the dirt. It seems trusting him all these years was a mistake all along if their cold reaction is to be considered.

They must have planned this...

"So? What shall we do now? Sing a few lively ballads? Or perhaps a nice game of chess?" The Prince mocked forth, prodding at his captor's nerves who went on to shut down the lights of the throne deck.

"Heh, that has a familiar ring…" The man curiously responds, removing his helmet and throwing it away before facing his way. "Don't you recall? The two of us used to play chess together as boys. Of course, I would always win…" He affirms next, casting an strange wave of confusion for Clovis.

"What?"

"Remember? At the Aries Villa?" The man adds, making the Prince frown.

That was the name of a place only a few dared whisper it. For this traitor to know something like that he had to be someone important… or at very least, be the pawn of high echelon, "You...Who are you?!" Clovis demands harshly. He had to know!

The stranger then, obliges, "It's been a long time, big brother." He first says, stepping into light, only to reveal himself as being a ghost from the past, one that the Prince immediately gasps wide-eyed, "The eldest son of the late consort Marianne and seventeenth in line to the imperial throne, Lelouch vi Britannia, at your service…" And from that presentation, complete with a kneeling bow, only stutters remains as Clovis meets his lost brother for the first time in what seemed years...

"Lelouch?! B-But I thought–"

"-That I was dead?"

Certainly, the Third Prince had no words to describe what he was seeing from his shaking eyes, much less what he felt in the presence of his now-alive sibling standing before him. Indeed, his heart was in turmoil. There was anger; guilt; remorse; apprehension, all crushed beneath the intense _dread_ that he felt from just looking at those purple powerful eyes that glared back at him...

"You were wrong, Your Highness. _I_ _have returned_… And I've come back to change _everything.._." Lelouch declared, carrying a smile that threatened so many malicious things out of intention alone.

This is what would be pictured there, the Demon's deadly expression, frozen in motion, with outcome that the Jury expectantly sought denied right in front of their eyes as the session just ended...

* * *

"Wait what!? No no you can't just end it here, come on!" Milly complained as the whole crowd shouted their frustrations.

"Yeah, there's still some time! Show us more please!" Rivalz added, begging as the illusion around him reverted back to the ruined scenery of the floating stage. His wish, much like everyone else's, was thoroughly ignored…

"Aw, bummer..." Anya pouted forth with her lips while Gino shook his head with a snarky smug, reeling in his own way much like Kallen who was fuming nearby.

"Eeehhh? Why? Why a cliffhanger right here ." The red ace boasted, shaken by the broken immersion. Nina nodded quickly alongside her, scowling shortly with Nunnally giggling in unsatisfaction in her face, her eyes twitching ever so slightly. One would never see the ever-graceful Empress making such expression in life so commonly.

Yet, laughing in mirth in contrast to the rest, on man stood jovial through it all, "Ha! Oh well, joke is on us I guess. This is one way to make us come back." mentions Lloyd in a comical gesture.

"Right… Just when I was getting interested." Rakshata retorts at his side, puffing smoke in annoyance. At this point, the only things that even stir her is actions scenes and whatever effects geass has on people.

"Hmm..." Cecile, incredibly enough, didn't felt bothered by the ending however. Rather, she looked perplexed, "I suppose we should be grateful we weren't caught by His Majesty there… He was… Quite close there." She affirms, feeling slightly worried by the scene at hand. Seeing the Demon do his thing was somewhat chilling. She, much like Lloyd, did suspect something was up when every staff abandoned the landcruiser with quite the eerie silence, not to mention the way they just stood there, staring at the entrance, waiting for something…

Now they know why.

"Well... how convenient." Meanwhile, on the Asian side of things, General Xingke scoffed at the ending scene at hand, "Saved at the nick of time… It's like fate was woven into your favor, Prime Minister." He commented with friendly sarcasm.

Being directly addressed, Ohgi then felt sheepishly, "W-Well, It's not like I can complain, can I? What are the odds of that happening?"

"Hmph. I'm not one to believe in gods or fate for sure, but even I'm starting the get unnerved by they we're all connected." Todoh added with held breath. Granted, seeing how things went from the very beginning of this session up till now, the sheer degree of circumstances layered on top of each other as the events go was jarring to witness. It's kinda hard to judge who is right or wrong when one's actions have consequences for being in the right place at the right time everytime.

"Maybe this is proof of it then, that god or fate is real." Xianglin suggested, sweating lightly beside Xingke. She has opened a quite controversial topic.

"No… no, no, no, I can't accept this, I cannot." Chiba retorted with disgust, gritting her teeth, "This… This is the work of the Demon, as well whatever forces behind him. Lelouch is their puppet, that's how it is!"

"That's… wrongly condescending..."

"Grr, god, fate or whatever, It doesn't matter! They can't leave us in the dark like this! Why stop the confrontation right there in this crucial moment!? Why!? This is so infuriating!" Kaguya screeched, biting her own kimono clothing in childish frustration. This made everyone around her either sweat a drop or close their eyes in embarrassment, with the theological discussion lost to the wind...

Alas, adding to the tension, one princess seeks relief by massaging her sinuses, trying but failing to break the frown sculpted in her face, "Urgh… This is stressful." Cornelia, unable to take an proper stance on either side, could only shake her head at her sibling schemes, not really expecting much of an revelation other than Clovis's demise. Beyond whatever atrocity Lelouch might come with his cursed geass, the Witch of Britannian just imagines that he will simply declare his resolve and execute the pompous bastard. Other than that… There's nothing else of note that she could see. There's no relief to be had, no satisfaction to be felt, no closure to this mess being dealt with...

"Are you okay, Your Highness?" Her love confronts him, worry branded in his frail state.

If anything, his attention alone is enough to appease Cornelia, or at least, slightly, "Hardly Guilford, hardly..." Pulling him closer for an embrace, the Regent Princess takes some time to reflect her sour emotions, "...I feel like all this time, I've wasted my time pursuing worthless justice… For all the virtues I've tried to preserve, none of my brothers, none of my family even, none of them seemed to hold any valor to be worth the effort..."

"You couldn't have known. None of us could. That's just how it is." Guilford assured, "The way I see it, we're either being shown the naked truth here or we're being deceived in full. For that we know all of this could have been an lie, that Prince Clovis still were the gentleman you knew all these years ago fighting for a good cause… That's something to hope for at least."

"..." However, even with his gentle attempts, Cornelia still stood unconvinced. After everything so far, after all the struggle trying to undermine the King's Court's legitimacy, her resolve is slowly but surely being shaken as the session go on.

Guilford knew of this, so he simply continued, "Of course, in the case I'm proven wrong, it's better that we embrace this honestly and simply move on then. We should be glad to have our illusions dispelled in this way. After all, as you often would say to our deluded enemies in the battlefield, it's better to live with the bitter truth of defeat than live in the comfort of an false victory…" And so, pulling his love's attention directly at his eyes, he assured, "...Besides, not all of the royal family is sinful and you know this. Euphemia, Nunnally, yourself even… You all carry the valor of virtue."

"Do we? Do we really?" Cornelia countered in whisper, her tone of voice uniquely broken and submissive, "I don't know, I just don't. I know my crimes, Guildford. I can't escape from them. If so, when it comes down to it, what difference there is between myself and my brothers in the killing? How different I am from Clovis or Lelouch?" That was she inquired, more to herself than anyone else.

Her lover then reflected, thinking his words carefully before whispering back, "The difference is that you did what you had to do in the right way, through the right means… Your cause was just, honorable, reasonable… supported by your own principles and nothing else. That's how you are. You didn't pursue the accursed power of geass, nor did you ever came to rely on it. You just saw what was wrong, and sought to fix it through how you've learned since infancy, by walking over with a steadfast force manner that of a General… You cannot blame yourself for that." He concluded, holding the princess face in his hands.

The Regent Princess would try argue against it but couldn't so, feeling too cast into her love's manly presence to delve into her depression…

Certainly, there were things Cornelia couldn't agree on what he affirmed biased as he was in her favor. But even then, having his lone support in at time of doubt and disappointments… It gives her some refuge.

As such, with the Jury coming into the sad conclusion that they will not be able to see the resolution of Clovis death today, they resign themselves to the fate that awaits them tomorrow, willing to somehow make the day flow fast if all possible. And while many felt observant and curious for sure in this session given the right pack of action, none of them noticed the most reserved among them, she who didn't say as much as a whisper through it all…

Indeed, an certain Empress had observed all that carnage withheld fear, disgust and anger, absorbing in all that she would learn while hiding her thoughts. Sadly, she never got a chance to comment this time around, reserving herself to wait until the right moment, but she definitely was eager to immerse herself in the truth that the Jury sought, following Lelouch's steps in his confrontation with his brother, just as her protector was taught her...

In other words, the hype was real. The desire strong, and the truth so far and so close at the same time.

Until then...

…

…

...

_**To be Continued…**_

Author Notes: _Next chapters will cover Stage 3 and 3.25, amount about 4 chapters in total (presumably). When they will be released? Hell if I know. I'm still recovering and life isn't exactly stable. I just managed to write these in the free time I had conscious, sooo… It will take time. I simply unable to write consistently I'm afraid._


End file.
